Atlantic City casinos ready for reopening
Five days after Atlantic City was shut down by mandatory evacuation orders for Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie announced that its 12 casinos can reopen, though it's unclear when they will be ready to do so, the Associated Press reports.
Tropicana Casino and Resort President Tony Rodio, who also heads the Casino Association of New Jersey, said the casinos are working on the logistics of opening. The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa opened Friday at 4 p.m., and the Revel opens Saturday at noon.
The city's waterfront casinos and its famous Boardwalk came through the storm largely unscathed, and the shutdown - only the fourth in the city's 34-year history of legalized gambling - is costing casinos a collective $5 million a day in lost revenue.
According to the Press of Atlantic City, Mayor Lorenzo Langford submitted a request Thursday night to Gov. Chris Christie's office to lift the travel ban in place since 4 p.m. Sunday. The city lifted its boil water advisory around 10 p.m. Thursday.
The Tropicana's Steve Callender told the newspaper that many people are still trying to recover from Sandy and may postpone trips to casinos for some time to come.
"It's not like the place is going to be packed when we open," Callender said. "Lives have been shaken. They're taking care of themselves."
"Flooded roads and a strained transportation system likely will make it difficult for thousands of employees to get back to work once the casinos reopen," the paper added.
Damage at most casinos was limited to water leaks or a handful of broken windows, says the AP.
A small portion of the Boardwalk north of the Revel, already damaged by previous storms and closed off to pedestrians, washed away during Sandy's assault. But, noted Thomas R. Gilbert, District Commander of the Atlantic City Tourism District, "the entire oceanfront Boardwalk in front of the Atlantic City casinos is undamaged with all dunes and lights intact. There is minimal-to no-visible damage to casinos and other businesses fronting the Boardwalk along the ocean."