Crowd expected at casino job fair
in Window Rock

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Nearly 2,000 people turned out Wednesday in Churchrock to ask questions or submit applications for upcoming jobs at the Navajo Nation’s first casino to be opened in October.

“It was amazing the amount of people that came out. People had a lot of questions regarding the casino operation, the construction — and hopefully we answered all the questions,” said Phefelia Johnson, executive assistant to Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise CEO Robert Winter.

The job fair moves to Nakai Hall at the fairgrounds in Window Rock on Friday, where it will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We have Navajo preference which is heavily emphasized in reference to all the positions that we’re hiring,” Johnson said.

“We have two parts of the hiring. The first is the casino operation — all the people that will be working in the different areas, from the casino floor to the bar and grill, to the two eateries that we’re going to have, the bingo hall and other areas such as surveillance and security.”

The other area of the casino operation is the Human Resource Department, which will include the administration and management for daily activities and functions, she said.
Some of the subcontractors will be taking names in reference to specific skilled employees such as carpenters, electricians, steel workers and concrete finishers.

“At this point in time, they’re just taking a look at what is available, looking to those that would be in close proximity to the area. As it is, the amount of people that we hire, there’s going to be an impact on Gallup regarding housing. Where are all these people going to stay? That is going to be part of the issue,” Johnson said.

Renee Martin, the Gaming Enterprise’s newly hired Human Resource director, said, “We are looking at gaming experience, however, we will have a comprehensive training program if they don’t have gaming experience.”

She said the enterprise expects to have all of its front-line people ready to hire by the end of August.

“They have to go through a licensing process with regulatory and that can take from seven days to two weeks, so we want to have everything prepared for them by the end of August.”

Hiring of management staff is expected to be complete by early August.

“We’re looking to actually get people in about a month to six weeks before we open the door so that they get the proper training necessary to be successful at their positions,” Martin said.

Winter, who was in Phoenix Wednesday, said the response to the Churchrock job fair was “way beyond our expectations.”

“We actually had to go out and print more applications. That’s on top of the 700 that we have received based on other job fairs and prior efforts.”

He said many of the applicants already have casino experience.

“With the number of applications, we’re very confident we’re going to have a very good employment pool.”

Cement for the foundation is on order, according to Winter, and he expects that within two weeks they’ll be doing the concrete work.

“We’re moving ahead,” he said.