Harrah’s Oklahoma has officially begun hiring to fill 325 to 350 positions at the new casino under construction just outside Chandler.
The first general job fair was held on Dec. 4 in Edmond, though Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Chairman Jacob Keyes said another fair specifically for current employees and Iowa Tribe members was held earlier.
General Manager Joe Scibetta said the fair exceeded expectations. They thought they’d get about 40 to 50 applicants, but as of around 1 p.m. on Thursday they had almost 75. It was a mix of experienced professionals and those just starting out.
“I’m very happy that the folks from Wellston and Chandler have actually come out. I’ve talked to at least six people… that actually either live in Wellston or Chandler and are really excited about, you know, having this great opportunity right where they live. So we’re very excited,” he said.
The fair was open to a variety of positions, varying from slot attendants and table dealers, to food and beverage, security and surveillance. There are also positions available on the in-house finance, marketing and human resources teams.
According to a press release sent out by Caesar’s Entertainment, Harrah’s Casino is offering “competitive compensation and benefits, career training and upward mobility, tuition reimbursements and Team Member discounts.”
The general manager said they plan to hold at least three more job fairs -- one general, one geared for veterans and the last specifically for food and beverage. They hope to hire the bulk of frontline employees (about 150 to 200 positions) in late February to early March for training.
This is the first Caesar’s brand property in the state of Oklahoma and Scibetta said the company plans for it to be the only one for the time being. They are more focused on making the casino and partnership with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma successful than further expansion in the state.
“We want to make this as successful as possible, and we think being laser focused on this property for this tribe is the best route to take right now,” he said.
In terms of hiring, Scibetta said it helps that they aren’t starting from scratch, with all current employees at the Ioway Casino being guaranteed jobs at the new casino. It was incredibly important to Chairman Keyes and the Tribe that they didn’t feel left out. Scibetta called current employees huge assets as they are already known to customers in the area.
Chairman Keyes said the Tribe, employees and elders are all excited about the casino close to being opened. They had a pep talk a few months ago, and employees left “super excited” about the new opportunity.
“I think it’s going to work out well for a lot of those employees who get to kind of, maybe expand their career a little bit and go work for a bigger company and have options down the road,” he said.
Keyes said they are currently on track to open in spring 2026 and may even be a little bit ahead of schedule. However, he said there’s always something that pops up at the end, so they are bracing for that possibility.
The biggest impact the casino will have, in the chairman’s opinion, is the jobs. It will almost double what the Tribe offers through its current enterprises and services, and will have a significant effect on the Chandler and Lincoln County area.
“That’s a big, big impact on an area that I feel like is also growing, and it needs those employment opportunities to continue to grow and to feed all the people that are trying to move into that area,” he said, adding that the revenue from the casino and later on hotel will help with the tribe’s economic development and services offered.
Already, the Iowa Tribe is discussing how it can bring more healthcare through its clinics, which also serve non-Natives. They are also looking into playing a big part in the Wellston and Chandler school systems.
“We want to… be able to help, financially help those communities out, and this is gonna really give us the ability to do that in a much bigger way than we did it before,” he said.
Chandler City Manager Jason Orr is happy to be working with the Tribe.
“What’s good for the Iowa Tribe is good for Chandler. We’ve certainly been blessed to have had such a wonderful working relationship with tribal leaders, and it’s that kind of selfless collaboration that sets flourishing communities apart from the rest,” he said.