By Lim Wei Chean

TO GEAR up for its April 27 opening, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) - Singapore's second integrated resort - is ramping up the hiring of staff to fill up all the necessary positions so that it get off to 'as perfect a start' as possible in the final stretch.

Its president and chief executive officer Thomas Arasi on Thursday morning unveiled its recruitment centre at Mountbatten Square, which is also its training headquarters. Mr Arasi said the IR needs to fill some 5,000 positions in the hotels, restaurants, retail front as it prepares for its opening.

The casino posts have all been filled with some 1,500 dealers, all of whom are Singaporeans and permanent residents, who started training this month. Another 350 more senior casino dealers were put through their paces last month. Training can take up to seven weeks and will be conducted around the clock in eight-hour shifts to simulate a working casino.

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