Monday, August 6, 2012

Racino jobs promise not kept

From the Daily News:

The Aqueduct racino may be raking in money for the state, but it is falling short in terms of taking care of its own backyard, a Daily News investigation has found.

The South Ozone Park facility employs 60.2% of its staff from Queens — considerably less than promised before it opened, according to a State Lottery roster obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

In June 2011, Michael Speller, president of racino operator Resorts World Casino New York City, publicly pledged that 70% to 80% of the staff would be hired from Queens.

The company fell short of that goal, documents show. And local stakeholders want to know why.

With 1,846 employees as of April, the shortfall means 181 fewer jobs went to Queens residents than the low end of what Speller promised. Comparing it to the high end of his promise, that’s 365 fewer jobs for locals.

At a hypothetical average salary of even $30,000 a year, a 10% shortfall means $5.4 million in lost wages for Queens residents.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Classic broken promises:

#1.
Your check is in the mail.

#2.
I promise not to cum in your mouth.

Now add this one.
Racino will produce local jobs.

Alas,
you'll have to bend over for
the next one.

Anonymous said...

What's to stop a Queens employee from moving across the border to Nassau or into Brooklyn? How is it the casino operator's responsibility if that happens? These where-you-live quotas are stupid and never work.

Anonymous said...

Ozone Park Casino should be held to that 70% number period for the entire duration of it's existence.

Anonymous said...

Gee, would the Daily News provide a list please of where it's employees live?

Anonymous said...

If a neighborhood is the site of any kind of taxpayer supported development it is not unreasonable to ask that jobs go to the neighborhood... when a corporation agrees to a set percentage then reneges, that's a failure of contract - I say sue 'em for the millions in lost payroll plus damages: show them that agreements are enforceable not only between corporations but also between corps and non-corp entities (workers, neighborhoods, etc)

Anonymous said...

I bet if you include Brooklyn the percentage would be over 90%. More mindless journalism for the mindless readers. For all you people reading this article and agreeing with it, you all should be ashamed on how clueless you really are. Start thinking on your own, don't let others (media), spoon feed you this crap.

Anonymous said...

And to the idiot who suggested that they should be sued? why? Why would you sue something that is providing jobs for New Yorkers? Is that the answer to everything? Stop complaining that the world is unfair. Go out and do something positive for yourself and stop relying on a lawsuit to get yourself through life.

Anonymous said...

Did I miss something that said they would hire any set percentage of Queens residents or is it a case where they said they would try to make the workforce as local as they could.

Anonymous said...

Resorts Wold NYC has made it well known that local White males over 40 need not apply.

Anonymous said...

And just how have they done that?

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