Casino to hire 1,500 in advance of opening in Madera County. What’s available?
Even before the North Fork Mono Casino officially broke ground just of Highway 99 in 2024, officials were touting the influx of jobs it would bring to Madera County.
The county’s Economic Development Commission, talking to The Bee in 2021, expected the casino/resort to employee 1,500 to 1,700 people in a “career ladder” of well-paying positions, from maintenance workers to accountants and lawyers. “It’s going to be a huge job creator,” then-executive director Bobby Kahn said at the time.
The projection wasn’t far off.
The casino announced Wednesday that it has just opened more than 1,500 positions — “all available with great benefits packages for full-time employees.”
That includes full medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, 401(k) matching, paid time off and complimentary meals in the team dining room.
“North Fork Mono Casino is committed to creating meaningful career opportunities for our community. We are excited to welcome individuals who are ready to grow with us and be part of something truly special,” General Manager Mark Ward said in a news release.
A look at the casino’s careers page online lists dozens of job results.
That is everything from compliance specialist (to keep the casino in adherence with all federal, state, and tribal gaming laws and regulations) to sommelier, and promotions and entertainment coordinator (to help oversee the casino’s special events and nightly entertainment). There are positions in IT, security, and payroll, along with more obvious “casino” jobs, such as slot technician and card dealer (for roulette, pai gow and three-card poker, baccarat, Texas hold’em, and variations of blackjack).
Wages range from the state minimum ($16.90, hourly) to $100,000+ depending on the position. Some of the jobs are tentatively set to begin over the next two months and into September, with some listed for as soon as next week.
So, when will the casino open?
When the $725 million development will actually open remains up to some debate.
The casino, in its press, says it is set to open this fall and it has already begun compiling a Reward Club list. Its promotions team has been visible, handing out swag and the like at events at ApCal Rock N Ranch, among others.
That is despite a series of (at times) convoluted legal challenges that dates back more than two decades, and a state appellate court ruling that the casino is not authorized for operation.
Yet, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians (operating alongside Red Rock Resorts) continues to move forward, saying its plans have federal approval and the project is on land that has been held in federal trust for just such a purpose since 2012.
“The North Fork Rancheria’s right to game on its federal trust land near Madera, CA is governed exclusively by federal law,” the tribe said in a statement earlier this year. “Federal approvals of the North Fork project occurred in 2012 and 2016 and the federal courts have since upheld each approval in final, non-appealable decisions.”