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Mississippi Casinos Damage Could Hurt State

MISSISSIPPI – As reported by the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger: "Fourteen-thousand gaming industry employees face uncertainty as they wait to hear how the 12 Gulf Coast casinos weathered Hurricane Katrina.

"U.S. 90 is flooded and making it impossible to reach the casinos and assess the damage, but Mississippi Emergency Management Agency executive director Robert Latham reported Monday that Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi had flooding reaching its second floor.

"The Sun-Herald in Biloxi reported on its Web site Monday that the $235 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, scheduled to open Thursday, will have to be rebuilt because the superstructure was severely damaged.

"…Dan McDaniel, a Jackson gaming lawyer, said Hurricane Katrina's impact on state could be huge, depending upon how severely casinos are damaged and how long they stay shut. 'The loss of tax revenue to the state is going to be immense and immediate,' he said.

"The state loses about $500,000 in tax revenue each day the coast casinos close, [Gaming Commission executive director Larry Gregory] said. It was unclear how long the gambling houses would remain closed…"

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