A job fair will be held January 5 to fill 325 permanent jobs at the state-owned .2 million Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel, set to open in March 2017 in the Southeast Kansas Gaming Zone in Pittsburg. Spokesman Garion Masterson said, “The jobs that are available include things like table games, slots, security, food and beverage, marketing, finance, cage and housekeeping and maintenance. No experience is required.”
Masterson added, “Work is continuing on both the interior and exterior of the casino as we really are putting the shape of everything together. A lot of the more particular items are seeing work done. In the interior, we’ve started to rough in things like plumbing, electrical, ductwork and other things.” He added most of the exterior brick has been installed and glass vestibules will be built within two weeks.
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission approved the casino in July 2015. It was expected to be completed by this July, but the project was delayed due to three extensions granted by the Kansas Lottery. The first delay, in August 2015, was over pending lawsuits filed by Castle Rock Casino and the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, contesting the award of the contract to Kansas Crossing. The second and the third extension requests, over the same pending lawsuits, were granted in November 2015, and March 2016.
The lawsuit filed in Shawnee County Court named as plaintiffs the Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board and its members, the Kansas Lottery and its executive director and Kansas Crossing. The plaintiffs had been seeking an injunction to cease construction of the casino, claiming the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission did not follow proper procedures in granting the license to Kansas Crossing. In March, Shawnee County District Court Judge Larry D. Hendricks refused to reconsider the decision awarding the license to Kansas Crossing. In April, Cherokee County commissioners voted to appeal Hendricks’ decision. On June 6, a final ruling was issued by Hendricks denying motions filed against Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel and the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.
Since then, the Kansas Supreme Court has taken jurisdiction in the matter but it has not yet been added to the court’s docket.
