NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.'s Harrah's New Orleans Casino is committed to helping rebuild New Orleans' tourism business, and pledges to get the Mardi Gras party started with fun and excitement, with a re-opening ceremony on Friday, February 17th at noon central standard time at the Canal Street entrance.
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"This is a magical city for our nation," said Anthony Sanfilippo, president, central division for Harrah's. "We knew that Harrah's coming back, employing 1500 people, reaching out to our customers throughout the nation, and inviting them into New Orleans, was going to be crucial to restarting the city," he continued.
The first of Greater New Orleans Mardi Gras parades roll later on February 17th, beginning a parade schedule that continues through Mardi Gras Day, Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The casino, closed shortly before Hurricane Katrina made landfall last year, features a 115,000 square-foot gaming floor, more than 2,000 slot machines, more than 90 table games, and the largest poker room in the South. In addition, work continues on a 450-room, 26-story hotel, located just across Poydras Street from the casino. The $150 million project is expected to open in September 2006.
Video of Harrah's New Orleans re-opening can be viewed at: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/harrahs/22667/
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada 68 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.
More information about Harrah's is available at its Web site -- http://www.harrahs.com/.
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FCMN Contact: albertol@harrahs.com
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