Texans looking for a job in this economic down turn could find some relief from their neighbors to the north. Just across the Texas Oklahoma border on I-35, WinStar World Casino is expanding and hiring 400 new positions.

Winstar is offering full benefits, gas vouchers to full and part-time workers

With a new exterior and interior modeled after famous cities from around the world, more than 380,000 square feet of electronic and table games, and a 400-bed hotel under construction, WinStar World will become Oklahoma's largest casino when the expansion project is completed in December 2008.

To staff the new expansion and hotel, WinStar began the hiring process in March of this year and so far has hired 300 new employees, most of them from the north Texas area.

"WinStar World employs more than 2,400 full and part-time individuals and roughly half of them are from the north Texas area," said Brian Campbell, CEO of the Commerce Division of the Chickasaw Nation which owns and operates the casino. "We are looking to hire 400 more employees before our grand opening and we're offering an amazing benefits package, gas incentives and other opportunities to lure employees to this area."

Campbell says both full and part time jobs at WinStar World offer medical and retirement benefits. And the casino recently began a gas voucher program for employees. Beginning in October, all WinStar World employees making under $50,000 began receiving an extra $25, $50, or $75 (after taxes) in their paychecks. The amount of the gas voucher depends on the distance that employees travel to and from WinStar. Employees commuting less than 30 miles to the casino will receive $25. Those whose commute is between 30 and 50 miles will receive $50 and those commuting over 50 miles will receive $75 every pay period.

"WinStar is in a remote area and while that plays perfectly into our plan to create a destination resort, the remoteness presents a challenge in recruiting employees," said Campbell. "We implemented this gas voucher program when gas prices reached $4 a gallon and we'll continue the program as long as it's cost-effective to our goal of recruiting and retaining employees at WinStar."

Currently the casino has openings in the area of guest services, cashiers, security, food and beverage and housekeeping. With half of the new expansion project complete, WinStar is currently in its soft opening phase. Officials say they are using this time to train new hires for many of its positions. More information about jobs at WinStar World Casino can be found at www.winstarcareers.com.