MGM Springfield ended the first quarter of 2022 with 1,203 employees and it expects to keep hiring as it reopens operations and brings back 24/7 table games.

But the hiring still lags the 2,500 employees MGM had in March 2020, before it shut down to comply with COVID regulations then spent the last 26 months rebuilding and recovering.

As of now, table games like blackjack and roulette are closed from 4-10 a.m. daily. Slots are 24 hours.

That employment total of 1,203 is up 23% from the 973 employees the casino had a year ago at the end of the first quarter of 2021. This is according to quarterly reports. MGM executives presented the most recent quarterly report Wednesday at a remote meeting of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.