There will also be a number of positions available in the financial department that will require little or no experience as well. These positions would be involved in the highly organized and intricate counting and money management procedures utilized at the casino.

During the meeting, Weber told the crowd about the various licensing procedures required by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board that any job applicant might need to go through in order to obtain employment.

For instance, any one seeking a state license necessary for many positions at SugarHouse cannot have been convicted of a felony or gambling related crime in the past 15 years. Anyone who owes money to the state would be denied a license as well.

No jobs are yet available.

Weber said that about four to six months before the casino is scheduled to open - planned sometime in the late summer of 2010 - the casino would start posting jobs for administration and management positions with service and supervisor positions posted sometime around three to four months prior to opening.

All jobs will be posted on the casino's Web site at www.sugarhousecasino.com.

In a move that she said would help support the local community, Leigh Whitaker, spokeswoman for SugarHouse casino, said informative seminars, like the one held last week, along with resume writing workshops and job fairs, would be held specifically in the communities nearest the casino site.

Of course, the job search would be a citywide affair, she said, but the casino hopes that by offering additional meetings and seminars for the nearby community, local residents would be able to get the first shot at the incoming jobs.

"Only the career fairs are going to be citywide," said Whitaker. "Forums like this and workshops will be only for the local community. We just want to make sure they have every opportunity to secure employment at SugarHouse."

At the conclusion of the meeting, residents seemed interested in any potential employment opportunities the casino might provide.

"I thought the meeting was great," said Dave Dugan, a construction contractor from Fishtown. "I just wanted to see what they are doing."

"What I like is that it seems like they will hire from within the community," said Mark Schneider of Fishtown.

Schneider is currently employed, but he said that he wanted to attend last week's forum "in case something falls through."

After the meeting, Betty Moreno, a senior and widow from Kensington, said she was hoping to obtain a job at the casino to help her afford the rising cost of her necessary medications.

"I have a job, but I wanted something for the evenings," she said. "With medication and bills so high, I could use the extra income."

Moreno said that in her youth she worked as a cashier and money counter for Wanamaker's long-shuttered department store.

"I worked there counting money all by myself on Sunday mornings. I loved it. I think I'm qualified to do that (at SugarHouse)," said Moreno.

Joe Viscuse, a teacher at Adaire Elementary School at 1300 E. Palmer St. said he's planning to retire from teaching in the near future and he was hoping to find a new full-time job.

"I didn't know what to expect when I came over here," he said as the gathered crowd filtered out of the center. "I wanted to do something in customer service. I was always interested in the people business."

SugarHouse casino plans to hold further informational sessions as well as upcoming resume writing workshops and job fairs for the communities nearest the casino. For more information or to find jobs once they are available visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.