Sugarhouse Begins Training Casino Table Game Dealers

by KYW's John McDevitt

Philadelphia's first casino opens in September on North Delaware Avenue.  Today was day one of "dealer school"  for prospective Sugarhouse employees.

Chip cutting was the first lesson. Mike Cigler was a quick study, practicing with other students on a blackjack table:

"The white chips are dollars. The red chips are five dollars.  The green chips are twenty-five dollars. The pink chips are two dollars and fifty cents."

Sugarhouse casino general manager Wendy Hamilton:

"Dealer school goes on for eight weeks. They'll learn blackjack, three-card poker, four-card poker.  Some students will also learn roulette. There is 215 total students in the school.  There are four different sessions -- three on weekdays and one that goes all day on Saturday and Sunday.  We  interviewed 1,300 people in order to get to those 215, so it's a pretty impressive group in there."

After training, the men and women have to audition to become Sugarhouse dealers.

(Photo by KYW's John McDevitt)