False Job Creation

With 3,000 slot machines, Rivers Casino employs 1,000 people.

That certainly makes one wonder about the "Job Creation" offered by Beacon Hill.

Rivers Casino is one of nine operating casinos in Pennsylvania and employs about 1,000 people.


Casino Seeks To Cut Number Of Slot Machines; Public Absent At Hearing
Games Set To Begin This Summer


PITTSBURGH -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board wanted to hear from the public as it considers a proposal to add table games to the Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

But, according to Channel 11 News partner TribLive, no one showed up at a public meeting Monday in Pittsburgh to speak in favor of or against the proposal.

Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., the operator of the Rivers Casino, hopes to add about 60 table games, in addition to a poker room with roughly 20 tables.

Rivers Casino officials, however, told board members that they want to get rid of some underperforming slot machines to make way for table games.

The board has to permit the casino to drop below the current level of 3,000 slot machines because state law requires casinos to maintain the number of slots in place as of Oct. 1, 2009. Table games are taxed at a lower rate than slot machines.

Casino officials said they would submit an application Tuesday to reduce the number of slot machines to 2,874.

Rivers anticipates hiring about 300 people to operate those table games, which would be available sometime this summer.

Last week, the casino held its first day of on-site school for prospective table game dealers.

Dealer school kicked off with orientation and an introduction to the gaming industry.

The casino's on-site school facility includes training for table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps.

Rivers Casino opened in August and features 3,000 slots, nine distinctive restaurants and bars, a riverside amphitheater, live music performances, free parking and multiple promotions and giveaways daily.

Rivers Casino is one of nine operating casinos in Pennsylvania and employs about 1,000 people.