Employment at Legends' businesses to exceed 3,500

The April job fair for 29 of the first 47 tenants in Phase 1 at Legends at Sparks Marina drew more than 5,200 people to the Rose Ballroom at John Ascuaga's Nugget.

The hope was to land one of the 650 to 700 jobs being offered. The turnout is a pretty good indication of the region's historic 11 percent unemployment rate in April.

The job fair was a combined effort between Legends and the City of Sparks. When the idea of a job fair was broached, the main question was where to have the event.

"When it came time to look at employment, we very quickly recognized that our tenants were going to be able to get employment fairly readily," says Legends General Manager Dennis McGovern. "We knew we had to set up some sort of mechanism to allow these tenants to get into contact in the most efficient way with a large group of people. In our mind, in this environment, it could draw 5,000 to 7,000 people. What do you do?"

McGovern met with Sparks Mayor Geno Martini and Public Information Officer Adam Mayberry about hosting a job fair. They found a home after approaching Nugget executives Steven and Michone Ascuaga about using their facilities.

"They were great they recognized there was a real need for Sparks," McGovern says. "Whatever we needed to get this into motion, it was done."

Martini says an annual public attitude survey states unemployment as the No. 1 concern for more than three-quarters of Sparks residents.

"It is no secret times are tough," Martini says. "It is jobs that will ultimately repair our economy and get us moving again."

Legends retailers won't have any more job fairs, McGovern says. Instead, prescreening of employees will be handled through the Sparks branch office of Nevada JobConnect at 1675 E. Prater Way, Suite 103. JobConnect will refer qualified applicants for the remaining retailers in the first phase of Legends to individual stores for interviews, McGovern says.

The businesses at Legends at Sparks Marina will comprise one of the largest employment bases in the region. By August 1, the rest of the first-phase tenants are expected to hire an additional 200 to 250 jobs and approximately 400 full and part-time employees already are working at Scheels, Best Buy, Target and Jazz.

The second phase of work adds an additional 15 retailers, including three or four restaurants, as well as a movie theater. McGovern expects more than 200 additional jobs will be created by the retail units alone, with more employees to be added to the count from the 13-theater Dickinson Theatres. The Overland Park, Kan., company will bring the first all-digital IMAX theater to the region.

All told, businesses at Legends at Sparks Marina are expected to employ more than 3,500 people once its third phase a hotel and casino is complete. In addition, hundreds of construction workers will have weathered one of the most significant workforce reductions in the area's history as they have labored to build the 147-acre site.

"This is currently one of the largest construction projects in northern Nevada, which will include some big-name retailers," Martini says. "Considering the economic climate, the commitment represents confidence in our market, and it is something we should all be proud of. This is truly a stimulus.

"Legends is a real attraction," he adds. "It not only has unique shops and dining, but lots to see in terms of art and displays especially if you love Nevada. The developer has much in store in terms of entertainment and activities at the Legends."