Job-Seekers Flock to Jobs, Vendor Fair in Milford for Foxwoods Casino

A diverse group of job-seekers came to speak to Foxwoods Resort Casino executives Thursday about the openings that could become available if a resort casino is approved in Milford.

The attendees, estimated by organizers at about 500 over the eight-hour job and vendor fair, included mostly people from Milford and surrounding towns. They included the curious, the unemployed, and the under-employed.

Some, like Michael Lourie, of Hopedale, have several part-time jobs now to make ends meet, and are interested in the opportunity afforded by a large employer. Lourie, 68, a retired postal worker, drives a school bus in Milford for Mark's Transportation and also delivers flowers for Wild Side Florist, he said. But he's interested in a job as a casino driver at Foxwoods Massachusetts.

"More money," he responded, when asked why. "I hope and pray it does not go up north," he said, referring to the competition for the resort casino license in the greater Boston region.

The other resort casino applicants in the region that includes Milford are in Everett and East Boston.

The size of the turnout surprised organizers, who weren't sure what to expect. At times, the parking lot overflowed at the Crystal Room, on Cedar Street. By 6 p.m., the lot was full.

Samuel Aguello, senior recruiter for Foxwoods Resort Casino, had a hoarse voice by the end of the event. He spoke individually or in groups to several hundred people, he estimated. Some inquired about IT positions, others about the process of becoming a dealer.

He took a resume from one man about 6:30 p.m., and told everyone to file an application online at Foxwoods, indicating their zip code. The zip codes will be used to determine who lives within the 50-mile radius that will receive first consideration for jobs, he said.

Behind him, a standing display board listed the types of jobs that will become available if the casino is approved: casino accounting, gaming, retail, security, marketing, engineering.

Some of the attendees wore suits and carried resumes and asked about professional jobs. Others inquired about part-time work for retirees, or for teens. Eight people who attended were referred to open positions at the Connecticut casino, a 90-minute drive from Milford, said Allan Kronberg, the general manager of Foxwoods Massachusetts.

When the doors opened, Kronberg said, 20 people were waiting. "They're interested in jobs," he said. "There's a lot of people who are out of work. There are a lot of people who are unhappy where they are."

"They are coming in to hear about the different positions that are open," Kronberg said.

Foxwoods brought several dozen of its executives from Connecticut to speak about the positions available at a resort casino, from the entry-level positions to those that would require experience or management backgrounds. 

Unlike its competition in the Boston area, Foxwoods Massachusetts has the advantage of being able to train the people it hires at the facility in Connecticut, Kronberg pointed out. That would include hotel positions, as well as in the kitchens.

"They'll get the opportunity to cook, to check people into the rooms," Kronberg said.

Scott Ferguson, manager of recruitment for Foxwoods Resort Casino, said people asked about all kinds of positions. The oldest person he spoke with was in his 70s, he said, and inquired about part-time work. The youngest was 17.

In Connecticut, Foxwoods Resort Casino can hire people at 16, for certain positions, but gaming floor positions in that state have an older age requirement, at least 21.

The casino will have some 3,500 full-time positions, but also opportunities for people to work part-time shifts, or overnight. The opportunities are diverse, he said. "Someone in their 70s just came up and asked me about part-time security work."