LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — With Las Vegas just days away from fully reopening, businesses are trying to staff up to prepare for all the visitors coming. But it’s been quite the struggle finding qualified workers, causing businesses to find creative ways to entice them.
The SlotZilla zipline remains as popular as ever with guests living their Superman dreams. President and CEO of Fremont Street Experience, Andrew Simon, is thrilled.
“People are loving the zipline this summer and we just want to be able to serve as many people who want to come here,” he said.
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With June 1 fast approaching, the day when Las Vegas will fully reopen with no capacity limits, SlotZilla is looking to fill 30 to 40 positions. It’s offering a zipline ride as part of the interview process, along with wage bonuses.
“We’re all opening up and there are huge opportunities," said Simon, "and I wanted to come up with something real interesting for people to come here."
It is incentives like these businesses across the valley are using to entice people to start working again.
Financial analyst Steve Budin says it’s been a struggle for businesses to find qualified applicants as unemployment benefits sometimes exceed normal wages, or single parents have a hard time finding childcare.
Budin says businesses are trying to up their game with “things like flexible schedules, signing bonuses, six-month bonus periods upon which you get a pay raise."
He says staffing up is important, especially for Strip properties in order to maintain a standard of hospitality.
“If many of our big hotel-casinos are understaffed, the experience the consumer is going to have is going to suffer," he said. "If it suffers, they may not choose to come back. So, we really need to make the best effort we can to get these people back to work."
At the Venetian on the Strip, the hotel-casino is looking to fill about 300 positions in a variety of areas from housekeeping to security. It’s taking an aggressive approach to recruiting talent.
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“We’re giving them the opportunity to make sure that they’re given a chance and understand that we are offering on the spot, which we've never done before,” said James Ikeda, a manager at the Venetian.
Simon says he’s confident the unique experience of the zipline at Fremont Street will attract new workers.
“When you ride this ride and get to see what goes into being there, you’re like wow, I want to work here,” he said.
Both Slotzilla and the Venetian say they were both able to make some hires Thursday and train them before the summer tourist season really heats up.
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