Louisiana Casinos Brace For Yet Another Possible Natural Disaster

Louisiana casinos have seen the effects that a major natural disaster can have on their industry. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina ripped through the state, leaving millions of dollars in damage to various Louisiana casinos.

That is why when it was announced on Friday that a large disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico turned into Tropical Storm Lee, casino executives and gamblers alike started to prepare for the worst. While the storm is not expected to become a hurricane, heavy rain is in the forecast.

Early projections have possibly twenty inches of rain falling in Louisiana and possibly as far as the Florida Panhandle. It is a situation that has caused panic because of the past devastation associated with Katrina. Residents of the state are being cautious in their approach to Labor Day weekend.

"We were supposed to get together with a group of friends and go to New Orleans to do some casino gambling and partying on Saturday night," said Nikki Gamble. "But with this weather, we are just going to cancel that trip and stay home in case there are any problems. Hopefully this will be more hype than substance."

Many Louisiana residents already were planning on staying home Saturday evening. The LSU Tigers open their season against a top five team in Oregon, and fans have been waiting months to watch the game. Although the fans will be able to watch the game, they may not be able to do so in the company of their friends.

"We had a party set up to watch the game and kick off the college football season, but we cancelled that," said Myron Belarkey. "It is going to be too dangerous out for people to be driving forty miles to come watch a football game. Family safety has to come first."

This summer has been relatively quiet when it comes to hurricane activity, but the action has picked up in recent weeks. In addition to Tropical Storm Lee, Hurricane Irene battered the East Coast over the past week. Atlantic City casinos shut down for only the third time in the history of the industry in New Jersey, causing millions of dollars in gaming revenue to be lost.

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