CHESTER, W.Va. - A letter to employees of Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort from Jack Sours, Mountaineer president and general manager, states that 47 employees were laid off Friday, not 35 as spokeswoman Missy Lawrence said Tuesday.
Leslie Campbell, newly appointed to Mountaineer's media relations post, referred questions Wednesday about the layoffs to Lawrence, who could not be reached for comment on the new number.
Sours' letter to Mountaineer employees announced "with much regret" that 47 positions were eliminated Friday.
Sours said that as a result of the local and national economy, and "additional competition in the Tri-State area," Mountaineer has experienced a decline in revenue. He said eliminating the 47 positions was done to adjust the operation to the current level of revenue.
"Mountaineer continues to do all we can to operate efficiently in difficult economic times, and we recognize and appreciate the contributions these employees have made to our past successes," Sours wrote.
He encouraged employees to continue to "practice the principles of guest service," since it is Mountaineer's guests who "drive our economic engine."
He directed employees who have direct contact with customers that they should greet each guest as they approach them, wish them well, and be sure to acknowledge them as they leave and invite them to return.
Sours spoke of the company's focus on meeting customers' needs and the importance of maintaining "proper staffing levels at customer touch points."
The company did not publicly announce the layoffs last week nor state how officials determined what positions would be eliminated.
Several people left phone tips over the weekend stating 45 to 50 employees were let go. Lawrence returned a call Tuesday and left a voicemail confirming layoffs. She said there were 35 employees laid off, and the company did not plan to issue news releases about the action.
In 2009, the company eliminated 35 positions on Aug. 29, issuing a press release at that time. The release stated the layoffs were "to enable Mountaineer to operate at optimal efficiency in a difficult economic climate."
In January 2009, the resort cut 175 employees from several of its departments. The layoffs have not affected all departments, however. In November 2009, the company added 700 jobs to its table games department, having previously laid off 93 other workers in different departments that same month.
On the racetrack side of the operation, Mountaineer reached a three-year agreement with the Horsemen's Benevolent Protection Association in December 2009, just weeks after the West Virginia Racing Commission agreed to cut two months from the live horse racing schedule.
The WVRC approved a 210-day racing schedule, with live horse racing five days a week from March 1 through Dec. 21. The 210 days are the minimum number of racing days required by the state for the Hancock County resort to legally operate slot machines and table games.
