After years of starts and stops, including long stalls for needed paperwork and numerous legal hurdles, the SugarHouse casino, planned for a 22-acre site in Fishtown and Northern Liberties, might finally become a reality.

So might the casino jobs that politicians and developers have long promised the riverfront gambling hall will bring.

Last week, HSP Gaming, developer of the incoming $310 million slot parlor, held a "career information forum" at the Shissler Recreation Center in Fishtown in order to inform residents about some of the many jobs that could be available once the casino is built.

Once the first phase the casino is complete and 3,000 slot machines are installed at the site, SugarHouse expects to create about 1,100 permanent jobs.

In the casino's interim phase, with about 1,700 slots installed, the total number of employees is expected to be about 500.

During the informational forum, held Monday, June 29, more than 200 local residents showed up to learn more about what a potential career at the casino might entail.

With seats set up throughout the room, the crowd filled the gymnasium almost to capacity with every seat taken and many people crowding the halls and standing along the perimeter of the room.

"This is the moment I've been waiting for," said Joann Weber, vice president of Human Resources for SugarHouse, as she led the meeting. "SugarHouse will offer some sweet opportunities. When I say these are careers, I really mean it. We're in it for the long haul."

According to Weber, the bulk of the jobs that will eventually be available would be "customer service" positions.

"We want people to come to us who understand that we have competition in a very short driving distance," she said. "We want people who want to win."

Also, she said residents should prepare for many different shifts, since the slot parlor will run for 24 hours a day, every day of the week, including holidays.

"It's going to be a high-energy, very stimulating environment," she said.

Also, as is common in the casino industry, all employees would be prohibited from gambling in SugarHouse casino.

Weber said that most of the positions will require little or no experience, such as the 30 full and part-time jobs for slot attendants who will be expected to assist visitors to the casino.

However, the positions for slot technicians and slot supervisors will need experienced applicants, said George Mancuso, vice president of slot operations for the casino.

"When we expand to 3,000 slots, we will be looking to expand from within," said Mancuso, explaining that the casino plans to promote employees who have gained experience during the interim phase once the additional slots are installed at the completion of phase one.

Also, at opening, the casino plans to hire a security detail of 40 security officers, as well as about seven security supervisor positions.

There will be not experience necessary for the officer positions, said Mancuso, but for supervisors, they are looking for people with security, police or military experience.

"We could purchase the best slot machines, offer the best amenities . . . but we need employees that will offer the highest level of customer service possible," said Mancuso.

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.

Reporter Hayden Mitman can be reached at 215-354-3124 or hmitman@phillynews.com