Portions of the River Spirit Casino and Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma reopened Friday, June 21 after being closed due to flooding since May 22. At that time, the lower level was under a foot and a half of water. Following a deep clean, the property’s gaming floors, theater, hotel, conference center and restaurants have reopened.
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Chief Executive Officer Pat Crofts said, “Unfortunately, the spa, health club, fitness center and pool are not ready to open now, because that’s where there was actual water damage. It’s been very hectic. We’ve got three remediation companies on site, upwards of 400 to 500 people working around the clock, doing the cleanup and remediation.”
Crofts said he doesn’t have an estimate of flooding damage and other costs yet but stated that it’s “significant.” The casino resort’s 1,800 employees were paid during the closure, totaling about $5 million for the entire month.
And in Alton, Illinois, Argosy Casino Alton reopened June 25 after being closed due to flooding for all but eight of the previous 45 days. Vice President and General Manager Steve Peate said, “We are extremely excited to open our doors and welcome our guests and team members back to the property. The river has finally receded, and we can once again provide the entertaining environment and rewarding experiences that our guests have come to expect.”
Earlier this month the Mississippi River in Alton reached a crest of 39.1 feet, the second highest crest in history. Flooding caused limited access to the casino property.
