CHESTER, W.Va. -- Forty-seven people are out of work at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort in Chester.

General manager Jack Sours sent a letter to employees Friday, telling them that's how many people were laid off last week.

According to the Weirton Daily Times, the letter blamed the layoffs on competition and falling revenues.

Track publicists did not return multiple phone calls from The Associated Press this week.

In August 2009, Mountaineer laid off 35 people. Most were administrative employees. That followed the layoffs of 175 workers in January 2009.

The casino-racetrack has long been one of the Northern Panhandle's largest employers.

Mountaineer is owned by MTR Gaming Group Inc., which recently posted a second-quarter loss of $517,000.