Gambling competition from Maryland

More competition for gambling dollars in West Virginia is on the way. Construction has started on the new casino at Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort in Allegany County, Maryland, not far from the Charles Town casino in Jefferson County.

Rocky Gap owner Lakes Entertainment held its first casino job fair recently. It plans to hire about 100 people for jobs associated with table games. Company CEO Tim Cope says more than 400 people showed up.

“The only unfortunate part is they were lined up out the door and it was cold,” he said. “So we moved them through as quickly as possible. It was a good turnout.”

Cope says Lakes will be offering a free 12-week training course on table games for applicants.

He says they are working hard to get the employees trained in time for the late-May early-June opening.

Two more job fairs are planned for later this month and in March to hire about 150 workers for hotel and restaurant staff. Once it opens in June the casino will initially feature 550 slot machines and 10 table games.

Lakes Entertainment says the Rocky Gap Casino will stand out from other facilities because it will be operated with a full-service resort including a hotel, spa, gift shop, outdoor recreation, a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course and other amenities.

A bill amending the Maryland constitution to allow for table games at the state’s six casinos was passed in November.