'Once people feel that public health is good, then I think full consumer, business and public confidence continues to come back,' Sarno said.Įven with far fewer employees, MGM Springfield's gambling revenues have generally returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the casino in March posting its third-highest haul since opening.
Mayor Domenic Sarno said he’s heard from other large employers trying various strategies to attract workers, including offering hiring bonuses.Īs for Springfield’s relationship with MGM, he said it’s been “beneficial,” but COVID-19 has thrown a “curve ball” at everyone. While the labor market has tightened significantly in the past year as the economy recovered from the pandemic, Springfield's unemployment rate of about 6% remains above state and national averages. 'Unfortunately, business owners across the city are struggling to get people to work, so why would we think MGM would be special in this regard?' 'I wish that it was just MGM's numbers that were down,' Edwards said. Springfield City Councilor Melvin Edwards, who chairs the council's planning and economic development committee, said a tight labor market has made it difficult for MGM Springfield - and other businesses in the city - to attract workers.
