Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that forced the closure of casinos in Mississippi and Louisiana before making landfall August 29, dwindled to tropical-storm status within a single day. Some Gulf Coast casinos have reopened, but as of Sunday, several remained closed.
A post on the website of Harrah’s New Orleans stated, “We look forward to welcoming you back once it’s safe to do so.” The Treasure Chest Casino in Kenner, Louisiana also was closed “to ensure the safety of our guests and team members.
“Please check our Facebook & Twitter pages for any updates on our reopening plans,” the website stated. “Please stay safe.”
Despite flooding and massive power outages in and around New Orleans, Lieutenant Robert Fontenot of the Louisiana State Police said Harrah’s, the Treasure Chest, the Fair Grounds Race Course and Boomtown in Harvey sustained no significant structural damage.
Ironically, Ida came ashore on the 16-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which damaged casinos in New Orleans and Biloxi.
In South Louisiana, the riverboat casinos Amelia Belle near Morgan City and Hollywood Casino and the Belle of Baton Rouge reopened Wednesday, September 1. L’Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge remains closed “as we work through power and system issues at our property,” according to its Facebook page. Its website stated, “We will close at 11:30 p.m. and re-open at 7 a.m. while under the current East Baton Rouge Parish curfew ordinance.”
The Scarlet Pearl Casino in D’Iberville, Mississippi closed “very quickly” when it became apparent that Ida would pack a big wallop, said Vice President of Marketing Ben Koff.
Koff told Fox-TV station WXXV, “We already have the processes in place and in terms of the guests, it’s likewise notifying them, communicating on social media. I think the Scarlet Pearl and all of our fellow casinos did a great job in notifying our employees and guests before they closed.”
Scarlet Pearl employees still received full pay. Security and maintenance workers who stayed on the job during Ida received bonuses.
The storm surge from Ida flooded the garage at the Golden Nugget Biloxi, and the Harrah’s Gulf Coast Hotel and Casino was inundated by ankle-deep water, according to local media. But Mississippi casinos had reopened by August 31, with members of the Mississippi Gaming Commission inspecting each property to ensure that they were safe to do so.
Meanwhile, out west, deadly wildfires torched hundreds of thousands of acres in the Stateline region, where Nevada and California meet, closing casinos there.
The Montbleu Casino on Lake Tahoe was still closed Sunday, but continued to provide “housing and support to firefighters and team member evacuees,” its website stated. “Everyone’s safety has always been and will continue to be our highest priority. … We look forward to reopening our doors as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Montbleu and three other major casinos in the area include Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Harvey’s and the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe all opened their hotels to house evacuees, fire crews and other emergency personnel. Hard Rock Lake Tahoe was at full capacity and accepting no reservations as of Sunday. Its casino was closed, but the gas station and grab-and-go food options were open.
Luckily, according to a September 4 report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, by Saturday “the danger appeared to have largely abated,” with the fire more than 40 percent contained. Lake Tahoe officials credited “aggressive firefighting, improved weather conditions and past efforts to prepare for wildfire” with saving the resort town.
“If we would have had the same weather and fire behavior continue for two more days, we would have had a real problem,” said Dominic Polito, a local public information officer. “So there was a little bit of divine mercy.”
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak thanked “our brave first responders, local government agencies and nonprofit entities who continue to go above and beyond to assist our communities during these trying times.”
