Gulf Coast Casinos Get Back to Work
Ten hours after the doors to Boomtown Casino opened for the 1st time since Hurricane Katrina closed them, the end of a long shift dealing cards was over for workers on the Gulf Coast.
For some, returning to the old job felt like "hitting the Lotto" said one man. He who worked at a Lowe's home improvement store while he waited for the Western-themed casino to reopen June 29.
"It feels like I never left," said the 32-year-old father of two, whose uniform is a T-shirt that boasts, "We're Back in the Saddle Again!"
Walker is one of thousands of casino employees returning to work this summer as more hotel and casino resorts reopen on Mississippi's hurricane-battered Gulf Coast. And for many, the tip-driven incomes are a welcome relief from minimum wages, odd jobs or unemployment checks.
"I love my job. I have a good time here, a lot of friends," Walker said.
The 5 gulf coast casinos that have reopened since Katrina employ around 6,000 workers. That number is expected to grow to roughly 10,000 by Sept. 1 with the return of several more casinos, all of which are struggling to find workers.
July 17, 2006
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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