Christie announces state help for A.C. workers

With a wave of Atlantic City casino closings expected to put more than 6,000 people out of work, Gov. Christie announced Thursday that the state would join with union and business groups to open an employment resource center in the Shore resort.

The Atlantic City Convention Center will play host to the facility, which opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, according to Unite Here Local 54, which represents many casino workers.

The state will deploy 35 staffers to the center, where workers from the soon-to-close Showboat, Revel, and Trump Plaza will be able to learn about programs and services available to them, including unemployment benefits.

Workers also can be told of job-training opportunities and get help with resumé development and job searches, Christie's office said.

The announcement precedes the slated closing Sunday of Showboat, which employs 2,100, followed by the closing Monday and Tuesday of Revel, which has 3,200. Trump Plaza, which has 1,100 workers, is expected to close Sept. 16.

Christie has called on political and business leaders to participate in a summit Sept. 8 on the future of Atlantic City.

The Republican governor, who has focused on rebranding Atlantic City as more than a gaming destination, recently told casino workers that his administration was working with private employers in Atlantic City to try to help them.