Many businesses were affected by the rising flood waters of December, including casinos. The Argosy Alton casino of Missouri was one such casino, having been forced to close when the Mississippi River continued to grow in size due to record rainfall.
After being closed for several days, the venue saw a decrease in revenues by 23% for the month of December. The Illinois Gaming Board released the figures for December 2014, showing how the casino was affected by the flood waters.
The gambling halls in the St. Louis area of Missouri are either located near the Mississippi or Missouri river, but it is only the Argosy Alton that is at risk for damage due to the water rising. It was on the 28th of December that the casino was forced to close for a few days due to the high water levels.
In contrast to the lower numbers, the Lumiere Place had a strong month, seeing an increase in table gaming revenues by 45%. Winnings for the casino in December increased by 12%. The casino market of the area was able to benefit from the day New Year’s Eve took place in 2015. The holiday falling on a Thursday created a strong holiday weekend, giving the area several days for players to visit the gaming venues.
On New Year’s Eve, venues including the Ameristar of St. Charles and the Hollywood Casino of Maryland Heights, were able to earn one million dollars in revenues. Despite the big night though, the Ameristar did see a decline in revenues for December, averaging a decrease of 4% in overall gaming revenues for the month.