Atlantic City Casinos To Close By Noon Saturday As Hurricane Irene Approaches
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- All but one of Atlantic City's 11 casinos planned to shut down Friday as Hurricane Irene moved toward the resort city, where a mandatory evacuation was ordered.
Gov. Chris Christie said all Atlantic City casinos would be closed by noon Saturday.
Officials say 10 casinos are all planning to close by 8 p.m. Friday. Workers there were told not to report to duty for shifts scheduled to start after 4 p.m.
Christie also said that all eastbound traffic to Atlantic City would be shutdown starting at 6 p.m. Friday.
He also said that all southbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway will be closed at exit 98 in Wall Township starting at 8 p.m. Friday.
The city's casinos have shut down only twice before in their
33-year history, once for Hurricane Gloria in 1985 and once because of a state government shutdown in 2006.
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