Post by Shadow on Oct 8, 2005 21:41:20 GMT -5
Yahoo
By Matt Daily Fri Oct 7, 7:57 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - New Orleans' mayor on Friday proposed building a casino zone near the historic French Quarter to jump start the hurricane-ravaged city's economy, saying a bold move was needed to restore lost tax revenue.
"I'd like to have another solution for the citizens ... but I don't know what else we can do at this point," Ray Nagin told a news conference.
New Orleans is struggling to rebound from Hurricane Katrina in August which fractured flood walls and flooded 80 percent of the city. Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast on September 24, triggering renewed flooding in parts of the city.
Under Nagin's proposal, a U-shaped section encompassing several blocks of the city's downtown area would allow large hotels to covert part of their property into Las Vegas-style casinos.
Only one casino is currently operating in that area, and Nagin said as many as seven new gambling operations could open.
That existing casino, Harrah's, has stirred bitter political battles and suffered from financial problems in recent years.
By Matt Daily Fri Oct 7, 7:57 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - New Orleans' mayor on Friday proposed building a casino zone near the historic French Quarter to jump start the hurricane-ravaged city's economy, saying a bold move was needed to restore lost tax revenue.
"I'd like to have another solution for the citizens ... but I don't know what else we can do at this point," Ray Nagin told a news conference.
New Orleans is struggling to rebound from Hurricane Katrina in August which fractured flood walls and flooded 80 percent of the city. Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast on September 24, triggering renewed flooding in parts of the city.
Under Nagin's proposal, a U-shaped section encompassing several blocks of the city's downtown area would allow large hotels to covert part of their property into Las Vegas-style casinos.
Only one casino is currently operating in that area, and Nagin said as many as seven new gambling operations could open.
That existing casino, Harrah's, has stirred bitter political battles and suffered from financial problems in recent years.