65,000 apply for 5,300 jobs at Encore

26 September 2008

By Amanda Finnegan, Las Vegas Sun

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Wynn Resorts has received 65,000 applications since July for 5,300 available positions at its new $2.3 billion Encore resort and casino.

Owner Steve Wynn is planning to move over another 1,700 employees from Encore's sister property, Wynn Las Vegas, to bring a total of 7,000 employees to Encore. The 2,034-room resort is slated to open in December.

Wynn has said he plans to use a relaxed style of interviewing, such as sitting down potential employees at a hotel bar to test their small talk skills.

Openings at Encore include positions in housekeeping, food and beverage, retail and casino operations.

The 5,300 new positions at Encore are coming at a time when the Nevada's unemployment rate is at its highest level in 23 years. Encore is still accepting applications, and with its current number of applicants, it would only be able to employ about 8 percent of them.