MGM Grand Detroit, the top earner of Detroit’s three casinos, is laying off less than 100 workers for the second time this year, officials said.

The layoffs coincide with MGM‘s one-year anniversary of moving to its new USD 800 million hotel and casino entertainment complex last October.

All affected are hourly workers in food and beverage — meaning those who work in restaurants and bars.

„Being a year into operations, we are at a better point than ever to evaluate what our customer demand is and normalize operations according to that demand,“ said spokeswoman Yvette Monet.

Casino management met with union officials this week to inform them of layoffs, which will occur in phases and could involve downgrading some full-time positions to part-time jobs and will take place in the next two to four weeks.

MGM Grand Detroit currently employs has 3,600 people.

MGM‘s casino revenues were USD 50 million this August, up from USD 42.7 million August 2007, the last figures available.

MotorCity Casino has consistently ranked second and Greektown third, in terms of casino revenues. MotorCity Casino made USD 41 million in revenues last August and Greektown, which is in Chapter 11, made USD 26 million.

MGM Grand Detroit last laid off workers in April, six months after opening its permanent casino, hotel and entertainment complex.

About 100 employees were laid off then in the area of food and beverage and hotel operations.

The last round of layoffs included a combination of salaried and hourly workers.