Lady Luck Casino lays off workers
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin has laid off 15 percent of its employees this week.
Isle of Capri Casinos of St. Louis, Mo., owns and operates Lady Luck at Nemocolin Woodlands Resort in Wharton Township.
Jill Alexander, spokeswoman for the company, confirmed reports about the layoffs — about 15 percent of the work force. She didn’t provide the total number of employees laid off.
“The layoffs represent a small percentage of our work force and we remain one of the largest employers in Fayette County,” Alexander said in a statement issued late Monday.
Alexander cited business concerns among other reasons as to why the employees were laid off.
People are required to spend at least $10 at the resort to enter Category 3 casinos, which are allowed to have up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games.
“We have received high marks from our customers related to their experience at Lady Luck Nemacolin,” Alexander’s statement said. “However, customers have been resistant to the access plan. We continue to work closely with the resort to establish admission procedures that conform to state regulations that are as customer-friendly as possible. Business has been slower than expected and we must make some changes to keep our expenses in line with business levels as we move into the slow winter season. As a result a number of positions are being eliminated.”
State figures indicate the casino has experienced slow revenue growth since opening in July.
Gamblers wagered $26.05 million on slot machines at Lady Luck and won $23.63 million in July, its first month in business.
After $65,395 in promotional play, or free play given out by the casino, was subtracted, Lady Luck garnered $2.35 million in revenue, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Representatives of Isle of Capri Casinos and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort declined to comment on the revenue, which is considerably less than the revenue generated by the state’s only other resort casino, Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, according to previously published reports.
Valley Forge, which opened in March 2012, took in $41.17 million in slots wagers and paid out $36.91 million in winnings in its first full month in business in April 2012. After subtracting $335,604 in promotional play, the casino generated $3.92 million in revenue.
In July, slots gamblers wagered $68.36 million and the casino paid out $61.45 million. After $1.38 million in promotional play was subtracted, Valley Forge generated $5.52 million in revenue.
Even though both casinos have 600 slot machines, the maximum allowed by the state’s gaming law, comparing revenue figures isn’t a fair way to gauge Lady Luck’s success, said Gaming Control Board spokesman Richard McGarvey in a previously published report.
Valley Forge is adjacent to a convention center, surrounded by a large shopping area and is in a highly populated area, McGarvey said. Lady Luck is in a rural area and Nemacolin Woodlands is known for its recreation activities such as golf, he said.
During Lady Luck’s first full week in business from July 1-7, slot wagers totaled $8.42 million and the casino paid out $7.7 million, according to the Gaming Control Board.
From July 8-14, slot wagers fell to $5.43 million and the payout was $4.9 million. From July 15-21, slot wagers totaled $5.32 million and the payout totaled $4.82 million. From July 22-28, wagers were $5.47 million and the payout was $4.96 million.
Herald-Standard business editor Steve Ferris contributed to this report.