4,200 applicants at FireKeepers Casino

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich (WOOD) - The economic news is bleak in our area as the number of people out of a job continues to rise.

New numbers show our state's unemployment rate soared last month, one full percentage point, placing us in double digit territory at 10.6 percent. That is the highest rate since 1984.

But there is a bright spot as many jobs need to be filled right here in West Michigan, including 1,500 before the FireKeepers Casino can open this summer near Battle Creek. It is still being built off I-94 at 11 Mile Road.

According to Donna Halinski, media contact for FireKeepers, the casino had processed 4,200 applications for jobs by 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

With 2,500 slot machines, 90 gaming tables, a 20-table poker room, a 70-seat restaurant, 300-seat buffet, sports bar, cabaret lounge and more, they are going to need a few good people to keep things ticking.

Hundreds of people lined up nearly a year ago for a chance to land a job helping to build the facility.

FireKeepers representatives were at Michigan Works offices Thursday to launch their job recruitment drive.

All Michigan Works offices are accepting applications but just a few will have FireKeepers representatives on hand to answer questions. Those offices include Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Jackson.

Representatives will be looking for dealers, slot personnel, housekeeping, cashiers, accounting, marketing, surveillance, security, cocktail servers, waiters and waitresses to name a few.

The Michigan Works office opens at 8 a.m.

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