Empress Casino To Re-Open In Late June After Fire

A fire ravaged through the pavilion at the Empress Casino in Joliet, Illinois back on March 20th, and the casino has still not fully recovered. They have, however, set the date the casino will re-open.

June 25th is the target date for the casino to once again open its doors to customers. The fire destroyed much of the pavilion, and although that portion of the casino will still take much longer to repair, the casino will open without it.

"This is a situation where as long as the casino floor and some other areas are ready to go, the casino will re-open," said observer Garrett Baker, "the town needs the casino back open to put people back to work."

The Empress was already scheduled to remodel the casino floor. Those efforts have been put on the fast track after the fire, and they are expected to be completed by the re-open date. The fire has given the casino the opportunity to speed up renovation efforts.

When the casino opens in June, it will be equipped with a new 240-seat buffet. Plasma televisions are being installed, and new wall finishes, lights, and carpets will also be on display. There will be a new VIP lounge as well.

May 29, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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