BILOXI -- Harrison County casinos can reopen today starting at 7 a.m.
Mississippi Gaming Commission executive director Larry Gregory came to the Coast on Tuesday and said if the casinos have completed their checklists that "we will reopen them."
The checklist includes permission from the fire marshal, the Department of Health and all other approvals, along with the proviso that security and surveillance are operational.
"I expect the majority will be ready to open in the morning," he said Tuesday night.
The two casinos in Hancock County, Hollywood Bay St. Louis and Silver Slipper, will remain closed because a curfew still exists there.
"There's been a lot of inquiries about the hotels opening up early," said Gregory.
With the curfews lifted in Harrison County and U.S. 90 reopened from Interstate 110 to the Biloxi Bay Bridge, the Gaming Commission had no objection to the hotels opening Tuesday night. The Gaming Commission determines when the casinos can reopen, but doesn't have authority over the hotels.
IP Casino opened its hotel, some of its restaurants and supporting operations on Tuesday and plans to reopen its casino today.
Beau Rivage announced that it will open its casino floor at 9 a.m.
Hollywood Bay St. Louis came through the storm with only a couple of light posts and a fence blown down.
"Everything's high and dry," said spokesman Bob Davidge.
Silver Slipper in western Hancock County, the closest Coast casino to where Gustav made landfall, had damage to coolers and freezers on the first level.
"The casino is 100 percent untouched," general manager John Ferrucci said.
Ferrucci said he believes Silver Slipper can reopen within a week. The property was the first new land-based casino built after Katrina and the casino floor is 24 feet up, he said.
A few casino employees called Sound Off before the storm complaining they wanted more time to evacuate.
"We let the casinos know on Saturday night" they needed to have patrons out by 7 a.m. and be completely locked down by 3 p.m., Gregory said. That coincided with the 3 p.m. evacuation orders from Harrison and Hancock County and many of the casinos closed earlier than required.
"We have done this for 15 years," Gregory said, and that Mississippi casinos have never had an injury or death due to hurricanes. "We take it very seriously."
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