Corporate Newsroom - Station Casinos, Las Vegas

Station Casinos, Inc.
1505 South Pavilion Center Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89135
Tel: 702.495.3000
Toll free: 1(800)6-STATIONS

13 January 2006

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $1.1 MILLION GRANT FOR HOSPITALITY TRAINING PROGRAMS

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND LOCAL PARTNERSHIP "CAREER BOOST" FORMED TO TRAIN AND CERTIFY MORE THAN 10,000 WORKERS FOR FREE

Las Vegas, Nev.-As part of the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative to help address hospitality industry workforce shortages, the Department of Labor awarded $1.1 million to an innovative partnership called CAREER BOOST between the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board (SNWIB), Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN), Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association (NHLA) and Station Casinos, Inc. to provide hospitality training to 10,000 workers.

CAREER BOOST is a groundbreaking partnership that brings together local entities that all share in a common goal of training and recruiting qualified workers into the hospitality industry. The partnership will utilize a two-week certified curriculum from the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute and will be administered by teachers at the CCSN. The classes will focus on 16 guest-service jobs including porter, PBX operator, concierge, bell person, front desk clerk, guest room attendant, valet, cashier, central reservation agent, food server, bartender, beverage server, bus person, kitchen steward, room service steward and banquet server as well as offer technical skills training in English workplace literacy.

Over the next three years, CAREER BOOST will provide a series of two-week, 80-hour courses and on-the-job training to better prepare and provide necessary skills to those interested in obtaining hospitality jobs. The grant will also assist hourly employees currently working for Station Casinos seek career advancement. After the first year of the grant, workers employed at other area hotels will be able to also participate in the advanced training program. The grant will require a $1.4 million match from the partner organizations and companies over the three-year period of the grant.

The free two-week classes begin now and will be offered on an ongoing basis. Those interested in participating should call 702-651-4889 or visit any Nevada JobConnect Center. People successfully certified through the program will have job interview opportunities at Station Casinos and can apply for positions at other area hotels.

The Department of Labor expects the hospitality industry will need to add more than 1.6 million jobs throughout the country by 2012. "The fast-growing hospitality industry is very much in need of skilled workers," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "Thousands of workers will benefit from these grants."

"We saw tremendous value in bringing together the SNWIB, CCSN, NHLA and Station Casinos to apply for and administer the hospitality-training curriculum," said Van Heffner, president of the NHLA.

With Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa scheduled to open in the spring and future properties slated to be built over the next decade, we are looking to fill thousands of positions," said Valerie Murzl, vice president of human resources for Station Casinos. "It's our responsibility as an employer to recruit, train and retain a qualified workforce and this unique partnership will allow us to grow this thriving industry in Southern Nevada."

For additional information or to register for the CAREER BOOST training program, call 702-651-4889 or visit any Nevada JobConnect Center.

Station Casinos, Inc.

Founded in 1976, the publicly traded company (NYSE:STN) is one of the leading gaming corporations in the country. Today, the company has nearly 12,000 employees throughout its 15 properties in Southern Nevada and was named by Fortune magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For 2005 and 2006".

Contact: Jeff Lovari

Public Relations Manager
(702) 221-6538
Jeff.Lovari@stationcasinos.com