Casinos watching weather, staying open
The Mississippi Gaming Commission has directed the Coast casinos to “tie down for safety purposes anything on their property,” and notify their employees who live in low-lying areas to be alert to weather conditions as the storm approaches.
David Kingman, the Gaming Commission’s “Hurricane guru,” is working with the Coast emergency management officials and updating the situation every two hours, said MGC Executive Director Larry Gregory. “He stays there the entire time,” Gregory said, until the weather threat passes.
It is the responsibility of the Gaming Commission to determine if casinos should close in bad weather. This time residents will be able to spend the rainy day at the casinos. “It looks like a lot of rain,” said Gregory, “and flooding seems to be the major concern now.”
Lori Eckert, spokesperson for Island View Casino in Gulfport, said employees received contact information yesterday and instructions in the event a tropical storm develops.
“We have an existing emergency plan that’s ready to go,” she said, and it is reviewed often.
Source: Sun Herald