Mississippi casinos hiring non-Americans, but not for top jobs

Gina Holland

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2000 | 9:20 a.m.

JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi casino leaders said the state's tight labor market forces them to recruit outsiders for jobs but non-Americans are not getting as many top positions as state officials said.

Andy Bourland, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Association, said green card holders fill an employment gap at many of the 29 casinos.

The state economist had said Tuesday that 1,240 green card holders were earning more than $35,000 at casino jobs. Gaming Commission spokeswoman Ashley Skellie said Wednesday that 81 of the 1,240 green card casino workers were in high paying jobs.

She said the economist misinterpreted commission data, which listed the number of Mississippi natives earning more than $35,000 right above the total number of employees with green cards. Economist Phil Pepper said commission staff had misunderstood his request, which was only for information on top paid casino workers.

The commission said there are 1,369 native Mississippians in high paying casino jobs.

Bourland said that the information illustrates the need for casino management courses in Mississippi community colleges and universities.

"I think it's time for us to ... get past the controversy of the gaming and put Mississippians in a position to take full advantage of the industry," he said.

Rep. Diane Peranich, D-DeLisle, had requested data on non-Mississippians in management jobs. The Gaming Commission has not been able to track how many people from other states have top jobs.

Peranich said she has seen Mississippians mostly get lower paying casino jobs. She was also concerned about international workers.

Bourland said Mississippi natives "have nearly every opportunity for promotion to midlevel management as anyone else."

Pepper had released the Gaming Commission statistics along with the results of a yearlong gaming study by the University of Southern Mississippi. The study found that casinos recruit heavily in neighboring states Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee for workers.

There were 24,837 Mississippians with casino jobs, 8,813 from Tennessee, 3,605 from Arkansas, 2,404 from Louisiana and 400 from Alabama, the USM study found.

Skellie said Mississippians are sought first for jobs.

"This policy of employing Mississippi citizens is vital and important and not taken lightly by our casinos or state government," she said.