Archived Story
Isle damaged in storm, temporarily closed
Published 12:05am Tuesday, August 14, 2012NATCHEZ — The Isle of Capri Casino is temporarily closed following damage caused by inclement weather over the weekend.
Isle of Capri Spokeswoman Jill Alexander said the damage was sustained Friday night during a severe thunderstorm.
“The boat was hit with high wind on Friday, causing damage to the entry ramps as well as the backup generator, causing the casino to be closed on Friday evening,” Alexander said.
Once the wind hit the boat and the damage was noted, approximately 300 casino patrons and approximately 100 casino employees were evacuated from the boat.
“We applaud the hard work and dedication of our team members as they executed a smooth evacuation Friday evening,” Alexander said.
The boat will continue to be closed for what Alexander characterized as “a few more days” while repairs are made to the entry ramps, she said.
The Isle of Capri Hotel, located on South Canal Street, will remain open and operate as usual, Alexander said.
Natchez City Engineer David Gardner said the city’s infrastructure in the area was unaffected by the damage and that street operations on Silver Street would continue.
While the Natchez casino operations are suspended, the Isle of Capri is directing patrons to a sister property in Vicksburg, the Rainbow Casino Hotel, to redeem offers they have received in the mail.
