THOMPSON — Resorts World Catskills will open even sooner than anticipated. The 100,000-square-foot casino floor will open its doors on Thursday, February 8.

“It's a sprint to the finish line, but we're happy to finally be able to share this great integrated resort destination with the public,” said Charles Degliomini, executive vice president of government affairs and corporate communications for Empire Resorts Incorporated.

The opening on Feb. 8 will feature 150 table games and 2,150 slot machines. Not all of the 332 hotel rooms will be ready by next month, but somewhere around 190 rooms will be availible for guests.

“Everything is a function of time, money and engineering,” Degliomini said. “The entire building will not be open, but our gaming floor will be 100 percent open. The second mezzanine level, which contains some of the exclusive amenities we're offering, will be open closer to March.”

Degliomini said the recent job fairs held in Sullivan County and beyond have been very successful in finding qualified candidates to staff more than 2,000 positions, including 600 positions specifically for dealers and other casino floor staff. “We'll be holding job fairs long after we cut the ribbon and open the doors,” Degliomini confirmed. “If anyone needs a job, we have them.”

One key demographic Resorts World hopes to attract are Asian gamers and high rollers from different eastern countries. The casino floor includes 30,000-square-feet specifically catered to the Asian market, with Mandarin-speaking dealers, authentic Asian cuisine and popular games like baccarat.

“One of the things we've done in preparation for this project was study some of the best practices used at casinos in Macau and Las Vegas,” Degliomini said. “We have private gaming salons, 1,700-square-foot villas and garden suites, each with their own private ‘plunge pools' - stuff that you don't usually see in other east coast casinos.”

Degliomini explained these features represent part of what separates Resorts World Catskills from other regional casinos in upstate New York.

“The intent there is to attract a market that's going to be different than the regional casino market that's struggling right now,” Degliomini said. “We're looking to attract visitors not just nationally, but internationally as well.

Another feature designed to serpatate Resorts World Catskills from other regional casinos is the Kartrite Hotel & Indoor Waterpark scheduled to open in early 2019.

“We have a strong relationship Aquatic Development,” Degliomini said, referring to the company behind the waterpark. “We expect a lot of our guests to take advantage of the water park and vice versa. The opportunities for synergy, you can imagine, are pretty phenomenal.”