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A fire and subsequent blackout still has some guests of the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas scrambling to relocate.
The late afternoon electrical fire did little damage to the 2400-room property but officials have had difficulties restoring power over the last 48 hours during one of Las Vegas’ busiest weekends. The Rio itself was anticipating a 90 percent occupancy rate for the New Year’s Eve weekend.
"It all went dark, and then we heard a commotion in the hall," Amanda Paulsen, who was staying at the casino with her husband for the holiday weekend, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We went to look and someone said, 'The power's out, we have to leave.' "
The Rio has been working with other hotels to try and find displaced guests replacement rooms.
By 11:30 p.m. Friday, about 120 rooms on Floors 4-7 were cleared for occupancy, leaving 780 rooms without power.
On Friday afternoon, Rich Broome, executive vice president of Caesars Entertainment, had said that nearly half of 900 rooms in the Masquerade Tower would “not be occupied for several days, well beyond New Year’s Eve.”
Hotel staff continued trying to contact people with reservations to advise them where they would be staying. Customers can also call a special hotline: (866) 635-6955.
The hotel’s VooDoo Lounge, a combination nightclub and restaurant on the top two floors of the tower, will not be open for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
