Nov. 13–SPRINGFIELD — MGM Springfield opened a new career center Monday designed to serve as a "one-stop shop" in the screening and hiring of approximately 3,000 employees.

The MGM career center is at the Colvest Building at 1259 East Columbus Ave., adjacent to its $960 million casino project.

MGM and Massachusetts Gaming Commission officials, along with representatives of the education, business and employment training sector, attended a morning open house and tours at the center just prior to its afternoon opening.

Michael Mathis, president and chief operating officer of MGM Springfield, said the center offers "everything you need" to get a job at the casino.

"The career center will be the hub of our hiring activity in the community," Mathis said. "It's a one-stop shop facility for people to come learn about opportunities at the resort, to fill out applications, to meet with our different HR professionals, to do panel interviews, private interviews, drug testing, as well as to meet the regulators and fill out licensing paperwork."

The career center will initially be open through the end of the year from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will open for full-time hours and weekend hours in 2018, MGM officials said.

Those attending the open house Monday included gaming commission members Bruce Stebbins and Lloyd Macdonald, and the commission's executive director, Edward R. Bedrosian Jr.

Stebbins said the commission is pleased to see MGM Springfield moving forward with the hiring of residents of the city and region.

"This career center is a great way for them to understand all the career opportunities available to them as well as our licensing for certain employees," Stebbins said. "It's a great resource for the the community and we're just happy to be here to applaud this opening."

The 7,000-square foot center will be used for all aspects of the hiring process, and it offers a 20-seat computer lab to assist prospective employees. There are two interview rooms and office space.

Mathis said the Colvest building is a "great space, right in our backyard" adjacent to the MGM casino project.

Jeffrey P. Hayden, vice-president of business and professional development at Holyoke Community College, said he was impressed by what he saw at the center.

"This is a great start in order to draw the people in that MGM needs to hire," said Hayden, who also serves as executive director of the Massachusetts casino career training institute on behalf of the community colleges in Holyoke and Springfield. "This will give us the opportunity to get people not only ready to apply for jobs but also to be aware of the training that is available which is where the two community colleges come in."

Marikate Murren, MGM Springfield's vice-president of human services, said there is a mass hiring event scheduled June 2-4 at the MassMutual Center. MGM plans to invite nearly 5,000 people who have put themselves in the company's data system, and officials expect to hire approximately 1,500 people at the three-day event.

Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer, said the career center opens as major improvement projects are planned at Pynchon Plaza, Stearns Square and Riverfront Park, in conjunction with the casino.