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Thousands attend racino job fair
By Kalea Hall
AUSTINTOWN
Jared Klamer — dressed in a plaid, gray suit and black tie — appeared slightly nervous yet determined as he waited to move up in line at the first of two job fairs for the Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
He left his job with hopes of taking on the racino world with the banking skills he acquired over a seven-year stretch.
“It seems like a great opportunity for the community,” he said.
Klamer was one of thousands to show up at the job fair Monday at the old Fashion Bug location inside Austintown Plaza. About 400 positions, both full time and part time, are available for the multimillion-dollar gaming, dining and entertainment facility on state Route 46 that is set to open in the fall.
Those positions are in food and beverage, video lottery terminals, finance and accounting, environmental services, surveillance, racing, count room and more; 65 percent of those jobs are full time with benefits. Many of the jobs are tip-earning jobs, so, combining salaries and tips, employees would make between $30,000 and $40,000 for entry-level positions. Details for a tuition-reimbursement program for employees of the race course still are being worked out.
Scott Frost, director of marketing for the racino, said about 1,600 people applied online to the job fair and an estimated 2,000 were to show. Men and women of various ages from throughout the Valley and beyond attended the job fair, wrapping around the sidewalk in the plaza.
“We are about looking at personality today,” Frost said, “just to make sure they are a natural fit for our culture.”
One-on-one interviews will take place the third time applicants are called back.
Samantha Fox, 49, of Youngstown is determined to get a callback so she can have a change in her environment and “to make things a little better for my household.” Fox recently found out she will be laid off from her current job July 1.
“[But] before I even found out, I was going to come here,” she said. “I love numbers.”
She wants to work either in the cash room or as a supervisor of some sort. To her, the opening of the racino will bring the Youngstown area back to life. Her enthusiasm for her future at the racino encouraged her to bring two other applicants with her.
“I am going to call them before they call me,” she said. “I will be working for the racino.”
Lisa Guappone, 48, of Guilford Lake also relayed the message that the racino is “a great opportunity” and this area needs it.
“I think it will be a great place to work at,” Guappone said while waiting in line.
After retiring from the Air Force and traveling all over the world, Tony Mason, 41, of Cortland became interested in working for the racino since Penn National broke ground on the site last May.
“I just think it would be neat to work for,” he said.
The next racino job fair will be from noon to 8 p.m. June 25 at Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown.