Today is the first day casinos and video poker parlors can open since the governor ordered them closed in mid-March. State Police had to approve each casino’s spread mitigation procedures and operators are looking at whether they can still break even with occupancy limits in place. Casino Association of Louisiana executive director Wade Duty says not every casino will open today.
“We want to put people back to work. We want to get the casinos back open and we don’t want buildings to sit empty so we are going to do what we can, but, no, I don’t expect all of them to open,” said Duty.
Diamond Jacks Casino and Hotel in Bossier City has announced a permanent closure due to market conditions from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the casino brings in $7.5 million to the state and $1.5 million to Bossier City in tax revenue. More than 300 will be without a job.
Duty says getting fully staffed is tricky.
“We have people who are dealing with kids who are out of school unexpectedly, people that are taking care of relatives that have higher risk of exposure, people that once they were furloughed were forced to take other positions,” said Duty.
Casinos are allowed to open with 50% of their gaming positions in operation, but an overall occupancy limit of 25-percent. Duty says they are optimistic players will visit Louisiana casinos and they should get out of state visitors too.
“Louisiana is forutnate in one respect that we are not so much of a fly-in market cause I don’t think that you’ll see people get on airplanes to go anywhere for a long time, but the drive-in markets like ours will be the first to benefit,” said Duty.
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