MGM Springfield has released its Q1 2022 employment figures through an update with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Though employment at MGM Springfield is on the rise in the wake of Covid-19, the employee numbers are far fewer than they were before the pandemic.
During the first quarter of 2022, MGM Springfield’s report reflected a 23% increase in the number of employees when compared to figures from 2021’s Q1. MGM Springfield reported a total of 1,203 employees, 203 more than this time last year.
The boost reflects an increase of people hired as part-time and on-call employees, according to the report. Compared to one year ago, the desintation has only increased its full-time workforce by 35 people.
Under agreements with its regulators, the casino company committed to employing a staff of 3,000 workers. In 2018, the company was close to hitting its mark. However, those figures soon leveled off to close to 2,000 workers.
At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, MGM Springfield was among the number of statewide casinos that shut down for several months. During the latter part of 2020, the casino reported a total of 900 employees. That number has been on a slow but steady rise during the last two years.
Springfield City Councilor Melvin Edwards commented to NHPR: "I wish that it was just MGM's numbers that were down. Unfortunately, business owners across the city are struggling to get people to work, so why would we think MGM would be special in this regard?"
Edwards also said that the tight labor market has made attracting new workers difficult for MGM Springfield as well as other businesses throughout the city.
Mayor Domenic Sarno said that he believes the city and its businesses will bounce back once people are more confident about the state of public health.
"Once people feel that public health is good, then I think full consumer, business and public confidence will continue to come back," Sarno said.
