Unemployment rate stable; gaming jobs up

Friday, May 20, 2005 | 11:15 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The jobless rate in Nevada remained stable at 4 percent in April, but the opening of the Wynn Las Vegas resort last month gave a big boost to employment in the casino industry.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said today the hiring by Wynn Las Vegas brings the casino industry to 215,100 -- within reach of the record of 222,900 reported before the Sept. 11 attack that resulted in a downturn in the tourist economy.

"The hotel-casino industry's job growth has not kept pace with the strong job growth most other employment sectors in Nevada have experienced during the past three years," the governor said.

"This boost from hiring at Wynn Las Vegas places the state's hotel-casino employment within 7,800 jobs at its all-time high," Guinn said.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today the statewide employment in casino-hotels and gaming rose was up 4.1 percent from a year ago.

In Clark County the department said the number of jobs in casino hotels and gaming rose 5.6 percent from a year ago to 168,300.

Department Director Birgit Baker said hotel-casino employment grew by only 3.3 percent between January 2002 and March 2005 while total employment statewide increased by 17.5 percent.

"The April hiring spike is indeed a welcomed event," she said.

The department said there were an estimated 48,300 people out of work in April, or more than 4,000 fewer than a year ago statewide. The 4 percent jobless compares to 5.2 national percent rate and the 5.4 percent in California.

Total employment statewide reached 1,213,700, up 6.4 percent from a year ago.

The department reported Clark County's unemployment rate at 4 percent, the same as in March and below the 4.6 percent of April 2004. There were an estimated 33,500 persons out of work, some 4,000 less than a year ago.

Total employment in Clark County rose 7.4 percent from a year ago with an estimated 863,200 jobs.

In a Clark County breakdown, the department reported construction jobs grew 15.6 percent from April 2004 to 98,400; manufacturing totaled 23,900, up 4.4 percent; retail trade reported 90,800 employed, up 4 percent; professional and business services recorded a 9.9 percent jump to 103,900 jobs this April and government employment rose 5.6 percent from April 2004 to 88,800 on the job this April.

The department said that statewide, the construction industry had 131,0900 employed, up 15.4 percent from a year ago; manufacturing was up 3.1 percent to 46,800; retail trade had 127,100 employed, up 3.3 percent; jobs in professional and business services grew 9 percent to 142,400 and government workers reached 146,100, up 4.1 percent from April 2004.

The unemployment rate in Washoe County fell from 4 percent in April 2004 to 3.6 percent last month with an estimated 8,300 persons out of work. Total employment rose to 215,0900, up 4.4 percent from a year ago.

The department said unemployment in Carson City fell from 5.3 percent in April 2004 to 4.8 percent last month with an estimated 1,300 persons unemployed. Total employment was up 2.8 percent to 32,700 jobs.

Elko and Eureka counties reported a 3.4 percent jobless rate, down from 3.6 percent of a year ago. There were 900 workers out of a job. And total employment was up 0.4 percent to 26,400.