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Published Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 9:31 a.m.
Updated Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 3:10 p.m.
After three decades as a dependable place for inexpensive drinks, entertainment and low minimum wagering, O'Sheas will be closing at the end of next month and moving to the Linq project.
But contrary to earlier reports, officials with the casino's parent company, Caesars Entertainment, say the 300 people currently working at O'Sheas won't necessarily be losing their jobs.
"We will start meeting with all of those employees to explain to them what they can expect as we begin to move them to other properties," said David Reese, Ceasars senior vice president of human resources for the Las Vegas region.
The current O'Sheas location will close April 30 to facilitate demolition, making way for its new spot in the $500 million Linq development.
O'Sheas employees will be given priority placement at other resorts and casinos, including jobs opening at pools and at the upcoming World Series of Poker, Reese said.
Reese said Caesars, as required by law, emailed O'Sheas employees a warning letter about next month's closing. The letter may have created an impression that the workers were losing their jobs, he said, but the reality is that the employees will not be ousted.
"I will be surprised If we end up displacing very many folks at all," Reese said.
Caesars has been training an average of 75 new employees a week at its Vegas properties. A few former O'Sheas workers could find themselves working for better tips.
"Some might argue it's a step up to be a dealer at Paris or the Flamingo than it is at O'Sheas," Reese said.
Customers of O'Sheas can expect a newer version the Irish-flavored casino when the Linq opens in 2013, company officials say.
From an employment standpoint, the Linq will provide 3,000 construction jobs as work on the project moves from the back lot to more visibility on the Strip during the coming months.
An official groundbreaking is set for later this year, said a Caesars spokeswoman.
When the Linq opens next year, it will provide 1,500 full-time jobs in retail, at the new O'Sheas and other attractions around the 550-foot High Roller observation wheel.
"Eventually this will have a positive impact on the city with about five times more jobs," Reese said.
Read the official press release.
Re: Coolican's column on whether it was better when the Mob ran Las Vegas. Older workers will be let go and young, hip, happenin' workers will be hired on to better fit the new theme of Linq. Likely would not have happened under Mob management but then neither would Linq. The boys were actually pretty conservative business-wise. Not to worry, though, as there are plenty of vapid young people not graduating from CCSD ready and, sometimes, willing to do minimum wage grunt work.
The Boys would have taken care of the older workers that were loyal to them. It is just not right that these older highly experienced workers will not be given preference for jobs at the new Linq.
Just like other corporations, they phase out the old to make way for the underexperienced. When they do so, they know these kids won't know how to fight against the system of cruddy management & its bad decisions.
why would you not give the current employees first crack at the positions? I can understand phasing out employees who don't meet the Linq "criteria", but out of 300 employees there isn't one who is qualified to have a job there?
Ah the Mitt Romney style of doing business. Corporations are people my friends. Caring, misunderstood - never greedy, oh no - wonderful people. Three hundred jobs? Who cares! They need the money to build a giant ferris wheel. Who cares if someone else is building one down the street! It all creates jobs! These wonderful job creators should be applauded. I mean after all where could Caesars corporation possibly put 300 people right now? They have to fire them all with no preference for employment in the future. I'll bet all those Liberals out there will start whining and saying how unfair it is. I mean what did any of those people ever do for Caesars anyway? Probably a bunch of union cronies.
And besides it's not like Caesars has a bunch of hotels here in Vegas or around the world. Where could they possibly put 300 employees? I know when I visit a Caesars property I love having to wait 20 minutes for a menu in a restaurant because the job creators keep laying people off. I think it's awesome that my calls to housekeeping get rerouted to the front desk because everyone in housekeeping has been fired. I love having to wait 6 hours for a washcloth. Yes sir, a vote for Romney is a vote for jobs and progress! All Caesars Entertainment needs is a nice big fat tax cut and boy o' boy they'll be hiring people like crazy. Hell, when the Tea Party and good old Mitt get rid of all that stupid government regulation Caesars won't have to pay a minimum wage anymore or benefits. They'll be hiring people by the thousands! Stupid Obama. What does he know about anything anyway?
Poor old Gary Loveman. I know how much it pains him to collect a multi-million dollar salary every year. Oh well those 300 fat cats that just got pink slips will all be crying about income inequality while they laugh all the way to the bank with their welfare and unemployment checks. They'll probably rob us all blind too getting free lunches at school for their kids. What good are these schools anyway? Doing nothing but creating a bunch of snobs who look down their noses at the hard working executives in Vegas.
Poor Gary, he'll just have to slog through this recession with the rest of us, I suppose. He can always just bury that smelly old money in the back yard so he doesn't have to look at it, I guess. Or - why didn't I think of this sooner - he could give it to one of Romney's Super PACs! Oh but then when Mr. Romney becomes President poor old Gary will get stuck with even more money after all the tax cuts. Sad, so sad.
You know I really can't get over this. They're going to spend $500 million on stuff and renovations but fire 300 people in the process.
That's a bit like remodeling your kitchen and telling your kids they're going to have to leave because you can't afford both.
@sporty
Awesome post. So true.
Sporty, did you miss the part that said when completed it will provide 1500 new jobs?
According to your theory none of the older smaller casinos in this town should have been imploded to build larger ones that employ thousands instead of hundreds.
Also, it's Caesars property, they can do with it what they want.
I've got to question why are none of the current employees being considered when Linq opens? It seems Caesars is making a point of saying to these people "see ya, don't bother applying"....
It's something that just doesn't seem right. What's the rationale?
Unbelievable! There goes the affordable O'Sheas, this will give them good reason to charge 10 times the amount for food/drinks once it has been relocated to a fancy new location beneath the "Observation Tower". The trashiness of the current spot is part of the appeal in my opinion. At least we've got one last St. Patty's day to revel in its current glory.
All the article states is that preference will not be given, not that they won't be considered. Wow. Have you seen some of the folks that work in that place? I'd want to face lift the staff as well.
Did sporty actually read the article?
The article was changed completely within the last couple hours, the comments might not match the current article anymore. Originally, the story said that all 300 employees were being let go and would have no chance at another position within CET.
Seems that many posting did not read this part of the article;
"O'Sheas employees will be given priority placement at other resorts and casinos, including jobs opening at pools and at the upcoming World Series of Poker,"
Then on top of that they will have 1500 full time jobs when the 3000 construction workers are done.
Sounds like a good idea for Vegas and bottom line is, it is their property and money.
I am truly sad that this place is closing. I remember going to O'Sheas in the 90's and playing blackjack at a reasonable cost per hand. These days, it is one of the few places that one can still play low stakes games on the strip. While O'Sheas has been looking a little long in the tooth of late, I will miss the employees that worked there. They remembered me each time I came in and made me feel welcome -- something that has been lost when I go to the big named resorts. I sincerely wish the best to the O'Sheas employees and thank them for the fond memories they have provided me over the years.
@Vegaslee
Seems that many posting did not read this part of the article;
This article does not match the original article which stated there was no accommodation for the existing 300 employees. Suddenly a few comments and Caesars PR machine gets to work.
The statement about no accommodations for employees was made by a spokesperson to another news outlet. Upon speaking to the vp of human resources we learned those employees would be offered jobs at other properties. The story changed to reflect that information. As we report live and online, stories will change as new information becomes available.
@Ron Sylvester
Are you saying that the Sun posted an article on hearsay, before doing any actual research? It sounds like that policy should be reviewed. It might not mean much in this one article, but the Sun does have a responsibility to the community and its readers to report *facts*.
@westvegas
Pretty sure it's not hearsay when an official spokesperson for Caesars makes a statement to a news outlet.
The Sun reported correctly based on the information that was given at the time then updated it when new information became available.
So much for $1.00 beer.
I'm glad this dump is closing. Once upon a time it was a cool place to hang out. Now it's just full of thugs. Vegas needs to get rid of places like this. I hope the Imperial Palace gets razed soon...that place is a hole.
As far as the 300 employees who currently work there...this is part of the normal cycle of Vegas casinos. If they're too ignorant to figure out that one day this would happen to them and didn't properly prepare for it, then that's too bad. This has occurred dozens of times. They should have seen this coming. They had plenty of time to find a job in a newer, more stable property. Oh well.
this article was altered from the original yesterday and it did not mention anything about constructiion jobs either.it basically said current o'sheas employees would not be considered for new positions.fun place sad to see it go.we dont need anymore retail on the strip or a stupid ferris wheel.we need to keep some of the old seedy places.
Obviously you have no idea why it will be hard for a lot of the dealer employees to find another job, O'Sheas is a break in house for new dealers and unfortunately a lot of places will not hire a break in till they have a year in. It is not ignorance on the dealers part it is the fact that there are actually very few break in houses. Even though there is a lot of casinos in this town there is not 300 jobs available at any given time. People wonder why Vegas has went downhill, it is not just corporate America taking over, it is the fact that as a community we can't show support or empathy towards our fellow citizens.