Riverboat cuts workers’ hours

Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Another Shreveport-Bossier City casino has trimmed work schedules to accommodate an economic dip that it said has reduced the number of players and the amount of money they're willing to risk.

Hollywood Casinos has cut the work schedule of about 30 percent of its staff of approximately 1,800 employees.

"It's a lot less widespread than I think has been discussed," Jim Wise, the casino's corporate marketing director, said. "Our key at this point has been job preservation. And all we've done is, in some specific areas where volumes are slow, then we're trying to cut people back (in hours) in an effort to not reduce jobs."

Three of Shreveport-Bossier City's five riverboats have cut staff or hours to reduce operating costs as casino players have cut trips to the market. By one estimate, October revenues for the market could be in the $60 million range, which would be among the lowest revenue figures for the market this year.

In October the Isle of Capri reduced most of its full-time hourly personnel to 32 hours a week. Harrah's announced a layoff of 37 employees Monday.