Casinos in Biloxi and across the state have the green light to open Thursday morning at 8, with guidelines from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
Locally, Golden Nugget, Harrah’s and Treasure Bay are expected to open at 8 a.m., followed by the Palace Casino Resort and Boomtown at 10 a.m., Hard Rock at 11 a.m., and IP at 1 p.m. The Beau Rivage plans to re-open June 1.
“We know that everyone — operators, employees, residents and visitors — has been anticipating the re-opening of Biloxi’s casinos,” said Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich. “It’s certainly going to be different, with social distancing and other limitations, and we’re hoping that everyone will be safe, act responsibly and follow the guidelines. The eyes of the nation will be on us, and we want to do this right.”
Meanwhile, the numbers: The Mississippi State Department of Health reports 263 new cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours and 16 new deaths. In Harrison County, two new cases were reported and no new deaths. One new case was reported in Jackson County, and none in Hancock County.
The mayor also has announced that he wants to see City Hall, Community Development and other departments re-open their doors to the public beginning Tuesday, May 26, the day after Memorial Day. Social distancing and other measures will be in effect. However, the Biloxi Water Department office on Main Street will remain a drive-through only at this time.
The Biloxi Visitors Center re-opens Friday morning, but it will be open initially only for informational purposes. Galleries, exhibits and the theater will remain closed for now. Hours of the Visitors Center will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Donal M. Snyder Sr. Center Community Center is not expected to open until the end of June, as workers are replacing the chiller for the air-conditioning system, and workers also are refurbishing both the lap and therapy pools. The city hopes to be able to open the Natatorium the first of June. Crews are also conducting maintenance and repairs at the facility.
Facebook: See today’s update
YouTube: See today’s update
See the overall tracking chart
See the daily comparison chart
See the Harrison County 14-day chart
See the Mayor’s and Governor’s latest executive orders (updated Tuesday)
See the Phase 1 opening guidelines for casinos
See Opening Up Biloxi Again guidelines
See Opening Up America Again guidelines
