By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Pinnacle Entertainment says it has made significant progress in its commitment to include minorities and women on a casino construction project in St. Louis.
The Las Vegas-based company says its minority participation rate is now greater than 20%. But a group of people working for minority inclusion disagrees, saying only about 16% of Pinnacle's workforce is made up of minority contractors. The group staged a small protest Monday outside the worksite.
Pinnacle spokesman Mack Bradley says Pinnacle has taken several steps to reach project goals of 25% minority and 5% female inclusion.
Pinnacle is not using city subsidies on the project. A city spokesman says that means Pinnacle is encouraged, but not required, to reach its goals employing minorities and women.