Closed casinos hurt coastal economy

BILOXI, Miss. (WALA) - On the Mississippi coast, Biloxi felt some of the brunt of Hurricane Isaac and is now dealing with flooding in some places and damaged traffic signals.  But one of the biggest hits the city is taking could be to the economy, which is centered on tourism.

Nearly 12,000 people employed by the casinos travel down U.S. Highway 90 in Biloxi for work.  But with Isaac imposing its will on the Gulf Coast, this main artery for commerce has been closed due to unsafe conditions; water and debris.

"It's a main thoroughfare through the city of Biloxi, but today you won't see any traffic on it very much," said Mayor A.J. Holloway.  "Everything is shut down, so to speak, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast."

And that is keeping many from earning a paycheck and temporarily shutting down the city's most important industry.

"Most of all our tourism business has been shut down," Holloway said.

Holloway said his city is doing well post-Isaac.  About 60 people who didn't evacuate were rescued from their homes by the National Guard, but Holloway doesn't know of any casualties.

But due to some poor conditions, Biloxi is in recovery mode. 

"Tourism is just about cut off. All the casinos are shut down," Holloway said.  "I don't know when they're going to get the 'open up' from the gaming commission. But until that happens, that'll be shut down, and that's one of our major industries in the city of Biloxi."

Bilox officials hope to get the 'go ahead' from the Mississippi Gaming Commission to open the city's casinos by Friday, just in time for the holiday weekend.