Hurricane Francine Forces Some US Casino Operations to Close

A limited number of casino facilities along the US Gulf Coast shuttered temporarily due to a Category 2 hurricane that was expected to make landfall on Wednesday night.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Francine had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“After landfall, the center is expected to cross southeastern Louisiana tonight, then move northward across Mississippi on Thursday and Thursday night,” the NHC predicted on Wednesday afternoon.

Coushatta Casino Closure

The nasty weather led Kinder, La.’s Coushatta Casino Resort to be closed for part of Wednesday and Thursday.

To ensure the safety of our guests and associates during Hurricane Francine, Coushatta Casino Resort will temporarily close, effective Wednesday … at 2 am,” the gaming property said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing you when we re-open on Thursday … at noon or when conditions are deemed safe to do so.”

On Wednesday, the Silver Slipper Casino Hotel, located in Bay St. Louis, Miss., temporarily shuttered its table games, the Jubilee Buffet, Blue Bayou, valet service, and the gift shop. Normal operations will likely resume on Thursday.

The Bridges Golf Club at Hollywood Casino, also located in Bay St. Louis, also closed temporarily on Wednesday.

Curfews in Mississippi

In Gulfport, Miss. a curfew was to take effect starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Mayor Billy Hewes. It’s likely to be lifted at 6 a.m. Thursday. Restaurants, stores, and other businesses will close their doors.

During this period, people’s movement will be restricted, and no one will be allowed on public streets or property except for emergency personnel,” according to the mayor’s statement.

Also, in Bay St. Louis and Waveland, curfews will be in place between 10 p.m. Wednesday until 5 a.m. Thursday, according to the Sun Herald.

New Orleans may face floods as four to eight inches of rainfall are likely, CNN reported. Flights were canceled at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

A flood watch was put into effect for the Louisiana coastline, too. A storm surge warning was issued for Lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain, both in Louisiana, according to weather forecasts.

Tornado threats were possible in Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Huntsville, Ala.; Tallahassee, Fla., and Tupelo, Miss., AccuWeather reported.

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