The Job Uncertinty Looms For Coastal Casino Employees

[Ixolib]

In an update to the S2K Newsletter article I wrote last February (http://www.storm2k.org/newsletter/Feb2005-pg6.htm), here are the "actual" numbers - quoted below and updated for August 2005... Virtually ALL of the almost 18,000 people are now OUT OF WORK, and the light at the end of the tunnel is nowhere in sight...

The Coast gaming industry employed 17,919 people when Katrina hit, and it's estimated as many as 50,000 people held jobs indirectly related to gaming, said Beverly Martin, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Operators Association. The state loses $500,000 a day in tax revenue when the Coast casinos are closed. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050929/BIZ/509290386/1005

As for my re-employment, I have NO IDEA what I will do after my 90-day payroll runs out. I was employed with Grand Gulfport for 10 years. I had no idea when I left work on Friday afternoon, the 26th, that it would be the last time I'd see my office and many of my long-time friends and coworkers.

Before gaming, the jobs here were limited, at best. In fact, it was only because gaming came to the coast that I retired from the Air Force in 1995. Biloxi's my home and always has been. I just wonder if I can wait out the time it'll take to get the casinos back in business. No doubt, a lot of uncertinty ahead for me (and 17,918 more). S2K should start a job board!!

[streetsoldier]

WANTED: ex-USAF serviceperson with experience in the gaming industry to oversee the "Games" Forum...

(Not...j/k.)

[Ixolib]

WANTED: ex-USAF serviceperson with experience in the gaming industry to oversee the "Games" Forum...

(Not...j/k.)

Pay commensurate with experience!!

[Lindaloo]

ixolib.... I saw on the news where the Grand in Gulfport exploded, literally.

I also heard both Grand's will be back but no idea when. Copa will not be back. They have already terminated their employees. I think that was in poor taste how Copa handled it.

[HurryKane]

ixolib.... I saw on the news where the Grand in Gulfport exploded, literally.

That was on purpose, though, right?

I think that was in poor taste how Copa handled it.

Concur. And the day it was in the paper people in the grocery store were talking of nothing else.

[Ixolib]

ixolib.... I saw on the news where the Grand in Gulfport exploded, literally.

I also heard both Grand's will be back but no idea when. Copa will not be back. They have already terminated their employees. I think that was in poor taste how Copa handled it.

Yeah, they blew up the part that was sitting on Hwy 90 so they could dismantle and move it away. The rest of the casino stayed in place, but was completely inundated with water. Even though we knew this all would happen one day, it STILL seems so sureal to me that my place of employment for the last ten years and my hometown for the last 47 years is in such a state. It's REALLY weird not going to work, but I surely apprecite the time to get things back in order around the house.

The bigger casinos will be back, and if they approve land-based, I'm sure a lot of smaller interests will soon come on the market. Interesting times ahead - no doubt about that. In the meantime, though, we'll be eating a lot of beenie-weenies and spam around here for a while!!

As for the Copa, it's important to note that the ONLY reason Grand Casino/Harrah's was and is able to provide a 90-day payroll is because they purchased the "closure insurance" to do so. Otherwise, I believe us Grand Employees would be in the same boat (pun intended). The premeium, I'm sure, was pretty high - something only the bigger companies like Harrah's and MGM (Beau Rivage) could afford. Copa, a much smaller and independent company, did not have the insurance, hence, their employees did not and are not getting paid. I believe the same goes for Treasure Bay and The President and perhaps even Hard Rock.

As an interesting connection to the whole land-based issue, here's an article (link below) from today's Sun Herald. I think the last paragraph in the article pretty much spells out the reality...
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/12780923.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[MGC]

Hopefully the legislature will get off its a@$ and allow the casinos to build on land. If not the coast economy will go back to like it was during the 80's. Few jobs and low pay......MGC

[jasons2k]

Hopefully the legislature will get off its a@$ and allow the casinos to build on land. If not the coast economy will go back to like it was during the 80's. Few jobs and low pay......MGC

I agree with you 100% What's the point of forcing it onto water? It's not like you can't get to it.

[simplykristi]

Hard Rock was not opened yet, right? Wasn't it suppose to open up the week after the hurricane hit?

Did MS pass the law to make casinos land-based?

Kristi

[Ixolib]

Hard Rock was not opened yet, right? Wasn't it suppose to open up the week after the hurricane hit?

Did MS pass the law to make casinos land-based?

Kristi

It was supposed to open on Thursday, Sept 1. In fact, they had just had their invitation-only pre-opening the Friday before Katrina. Of course by then, they already had the place filled with rock & roll memorbilia. Consequently, the storm took most of it and reportedly, looters took the rest - including, I heard, a signed Cheryl Crow guitar.

But they had already hired all of their staff (1,600). It's most of those 1,600 who won't be getting any 90-day payroll because I don't believe they had the Business Interuption Insurance. I could be wrong on that, but this particular Hard Rock was independently owned and franchised by the parent company.

As for the vote for land-based, the House is all for it, so it already passed there. Now it's with the Senete for the ultimate and deciding vote. I'm pretty sure it'll pass. If not, things are gonna get really interesting - one way or the other...

[simplykristi]

That's too bad abput the workers at Hard Rock not getting paid.

Let's hope that the bill passes!

Kristi

[Lindaloo]

Everyone was so worried about that Hard Rock guitar blowing away and that is the only thing left standing.

[Ixolib]

Everyone was so worried about that Hard Rock guitar blowing away and that is the only thing left standing.

The guitar is there - battered, but standing strong. We went down there yesterday (Saturday) and took some pics. Also got pics of both Biloxi Grand barges sitting way high and way dry on the north side of Hwy 90, and of the Casino Magic barge too well north and west of it's usual location. The Palace Casino barge is sunk and listing hard to the south, and its new barge (Palace Sports Zone) is gone. It is REALLY amazing how big those things are when you see 'em like that. It is especially amazing to know they floated to their final resting point at such a huge distance. Of course, got pics of the broken Biloxi/Ocean Springs bridge - looked like knocked over dominos.

And ALL of the surrounding neighborhoods from the point westward to about Lee Street are literally nothing but splinters - if anything at all. The pics probably won't tell the story - I know what I saw in the news surely did not indicate what I saw in person. Then, traveled west and got pics of The President sitting on top of the Coliseum Holiday Inn. Of course, amazing. I'll post them here soon. Also got some pics of central Biloxi from Vetrerans Blvd to eastward to Rodenburg. EVERYTHING is COMPLETELY gone - No more Taco Bell, KFC, Wendy's, Hooter's, Shell Station, Biloxi Amusement Park, Sonic, Hunans Chinese Food, Ruby Tuesday's, Waffle House (both of 'em), Mario the Baker, Cucos Mexican Restaurant, Biloxi Pawn, The Liquor Store, Biloxi Fun Center, Sharkheads Souviners - all of it - and much more - completely gone almost as if they had never existed. And that was all in an area of only about one mile.

[Agua]

Yes, a bill has cleared the House and Senate which will allow gaming operations in Hancock and Harrison County to be conducted 800 feet inland from mean high tide.

This is going to be GREAT for recovery and future development.

[MGC]

The passing of the casino bill today by the Mississippi Legislature allowing land based casinos is a important step in the rebuilding of the coast. Hats off to the Legislature......MGC

[Agua]

The passing of the casino bill today by the Mississippi Legislature allowing land based casinos is a important step in the rebuilding of the coast. Hats off to the Legislature......MGC

Well, it *should* have been the case long ago when it became apparent how dependent our local economy was on gaming. No one could have anticipated the surge from Katrina, but you KNEW it was a matter of time until a bad Mississippi storm took them out.

Go look at some of those historic hurricane sites. You'll find about twice every hundred years (and it's not necessarily every 50 years, or 45 or whathave you; it doesn't coincide with century marks, i.e., 1800, 1900) Mississippi gets a KILLER cane.

[Ixolib]

Yes - this is a wonderfully good thing!!

And not only will they be land-based for the long term, in the short term, the bill allows the operators to open temporairly in their presently-standing hotels and entertainment centers. So, a lot of these casino employees could actually be getting back to work in relative short order. Interesting to think that the hotel ballrooms and convention rooms may soon hold slots and table games!! Of course, this short-term fix won't help those properties who do NOT have a hotel like Copa & Boomtown...

But, wait a minute... On a down note, the infrastructure of the coast will still be some time in returning. The O.S. bridge and the Bay St. Louis bridge will take about two years to rebuild. And, Hwy 90 is pretty messed up for the entire coastline. And, the other supporting businesses like hotels and restaurants up and down the coast are all gone. So, there will be a mess for quite a while. Add to that mess all the visiting gamblers, and things could be interesting...

But, still good news, none-the-less!!