6 more casinos to reopen soon
By the end of the year more than 10,000 casino jobs will be back on the Gulf Coast.
Six additional casinos shut down by Hurricane Katrina are expected to open, joining the three that are already open.
When Katrina struck Aug. 29, it shut down the 12 casinos operating on the Coast.
When the casinos return, the amenities are expected to be better than they were before the hurricane, said said Larry Gregory, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
The former Grand Casino Gulfport, Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, and Beau Rivage Casino Resort, the former Grand Casino, Boomtown and Treasure Bay, all in Biloxi, are expected to reopen this year, Gregory said.
“I toured Beau Rivage last week and the three fine dining restaurants are being upgraded to be first-class, one-of-a-kind,” he said. “All of the hotel rooms are being updated and remodeled. It’s hard to believe you could make it a better property, but it’s absolutely gorgeous what they’re doing with it. Everything is on track for it to reopen on Aug. 29.”
IP Hotel & Casino in Biloxi reopened its casino barge Dec. 22. Isle of Capri Casino Resort in Biloxi reopened Dec. 26, and Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi reopened Dec. 30. Isle and Palace, whose casino barges were destroyed, are operating smaller casinos in their hotels.
The reopening of six additional casinos would increase casino employment by 6,500 people, Gregory said. “That would put casino employment at 10,500,” he said.
Pre-Katrina employment, including Hard Rock Casino that was scheduled to open three days after the hurricane hit, was estimated at 17,000.
Elaine Stevens, public relations manager at IP Hotel & Casino, said housing still is an issue for employees.
“Six more casinos may open up, but where are the employees gong to live?” she asked. “That’s something we all as a community have to deal with.”
IP has slightly more than 2,000 employees, of which 25 percent are age 50 or older, she said.
Employee retention will be just as important as finding new employees, Stevens said. “When we first hired after the storm, they received immediate benefits valid without a waiting period,” she said.
The opening of six additional properties would increase casino hotel rooms to 4,300 - 51 percent of the pre-Katrina number of rooms, he said.
Stevens said 856 of the 1,088 hotel rooms at IP have been remodeled, and the new coffee house Fusion is set to open Wednesday.
The Ultra Chill Lounge is expected to open next month in the lobby, she said. A Brazilian restaurant and a revamped swimming pool should open this summer, she said.
The Isle of Capri Biloxi Casino Resort expects the remaining 100 hotel rooms to be ready for use by Memorial Day, which would bring its capacity to 731 rooms.
The renovation of the existing atrium to include 450 more slot machines, a bar, the Tradewinds Marketplace and a covered walkway bridge to connect the atrium to the parking deck should be completed by Memorial Day.
“Regional casino players are seeking more sophisticated playing options and amenities than ever before,” said Tim Hinkley, president and chief operating officer of Isle of Capri Casinos Inc.
The infinity pool and waterfall, spa sun deck, and pool bar at Isle of Capri are expected to be open by May 1.
Gregory said gross gaming revenue numbers for the Gulf Coast casinos for January and February are impressive.
“Three Biloxi properties that are open grossed over 50 percent of the total amount that the 12 Gulf Coast casinos did during January and February in 2005,” he said.
Gross gaming revenue for the Gulf Coast amounted to $64.2 million in January and $58.9 million in February compared to $118.8 million in January 2005 and $109 million in February 2005, he said.
Mississippi collects a 12 percent tax on gross gaming revenue. Eight percent of the 12 percent gaming tax goes into the state’s general fund and 4 percent to the county where a casino is located.
Gregory said he expects additional casinos to be built on the Gulf Coast and for the state to replace Atlantic City as the second largest spot for gaming behind Las Vegas.
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