Caesars New Orleans Hotel-Casino Remains Open, Resort Says

Caesars New Orleans hotel-casino is open with plans to remain operational “24/7," a Caesars telephone operator told Gambling.com on Thursday.

The resort is at the foot of Canal Street near the Mississippi River. That location is only blocks from Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, site of a deadly scene early Wednesday. In addition to the hotel portion of the property being open, the casino and sportsbook also are open, the operator said, adding that security personnel are in place.

On Wednesday, at least 15 people were killed and dozens more were injured by a man driving a rented white Ford pickup truck into pedestrians along Bourbon Street, a popular tourist destination. Authorities have identified the driver as a suspected terrorist. He was killed in a shootout with police, according to The New York Times.

Local authorities, working with federal officials, have beefed up the law enforcement presence in the area to secure the city, Gov. Jeff Landry said.

"We remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our people and to honor the victims as we seek justice," he said.

In a tweet, the governor noted he had dinner at a restaurant in the city on Wednesday after the incident. "Proud to be a part of this incredibly resilient city," he tweeted.

Sugar Bowl Postponed

The incident led to a postponement of Wednesday night’s scheduled NCAA football playoff game at Caesars Superdome between the Georgia Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Caesars Superdome is a little more than a mile from the Caesars New Orleans (formerly Harrah’s) resort, the only land-based hotel-casino in the Crescent City.

The two teams competing in this season’s Sugar Bowl, Georgia and Notre Dame, are vying to advance to the national title game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta. For the first time ever, 12 teams entered the post-season in a playoff format for the national championship.

The Sugar Bowl game originally set for Wednesday was rescheduled for Thursday afternoon, with the winner facing Penn State in a semifinal game next week. The winner of that semifinal game faces the winner of the Texas-Ohio State semifinal for the national title.

Caesars Superdome To Host Super Bowl

In addition to the Sugar Bowl, the Caesars Superdome is set to host the NFL’s Super Bowl on Feb. 9.

On March 4, the annual Mardi Gras festival is scheduled to take place in New Orleans.