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Oct. 09, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

600 rooms at Harrah's closed

Concerns about remodeling prompt move

By JOAN WHITELY
REVIEW-JOURNAL

As a safety precaution, Harrah's Las Vegas early Monday evening closed about 600 of its hotel rooms, relocating affected guests to comparable lodgings at sister properties nearby.

Jan Jones, an executive at Harrah's Entertainment, said the company voluntarily took the step because an ongoing internal investigation had revealed that several larger remodeling projects at Harrah's on the Strip took place without the necessary permits.

The vacated Harrah's rooms account for 15 percent to 20 percent of the property's estimated 3,000 rooms, said Marybel Batjer, vice president of public policy and communications for Harrah's Entertainment.

"I'm not sure that all those rooms had reservations against them," she said.

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    • Harrah's started shuttling some guests to other quarters at about 6 p.m., Batjer said. That is about the same time Harrah's communicated its decisions to county officials including Rory Reid, Clark County Commission chairman, and County Manager Virginia Valentine.

    "We value the trust that our guests and communities have placed in us, and the only way we can maintain that trust is to be completely open about the results of the investigation," Jones said in a statement.

    The investigation continues, but the company believes its problematic remodeling is "isolated" to Harrah's and the Rio, Jones said.

    The county's building division closed two floors of remodeled rooms at the Rio on Saturday, also for lack of proper permits and inspections.

    Batjer said the Harrah's rooms will be returned to service as quickly as possible.

    "Those rooms that are now being identified will be properly, with the county and with an independent contractor, reviewed, remediated, inspected and ... given a proper certificate of occupancy." She did not predict a timetable for those events.

    The property opened in 1973 as the Holiday Casino and Holiday Inn. Harrah's purchased the Holiday Casino in 1983.

    Jones said Gary Loveman, Harrah's Entertainment chairman and chief executive officer, has asked company Vice Chairman Chuck Atwood to oversee the response to the inquiry when completed, including any corrective action.

    "We will move to immediately develop policies and procedures to ensure these mistakes are not repeated," Jones said.

    Contact reporter Joan Whitely at jwhitely@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0268.



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    ME wrote on March 30, 2008 11:26 AM: IF HARRAHS COULD DEVISE AWAY TO MAKE MONEY WITHOUT SHPENDING ANY ON GUESTS OR EMPLOYEES THEY WOULD!LOL


    Stevie wrote on October 09, 2007 10:56 PM: This is GREAT NEWS for the area Casinos,
    I think it was a plot to divert the business, to the starving casino's!
    Great Job!!!
    Sincerely
    Steve Wynn


    El Diablo wrote on October 09, 2007 09:52 PM: God would never read the Review Journal


    Fred Frazzetta wrote on October 09, 2007 09:35 PM: Watcher, The point is Harrah's has put themselves in a position to be sued for millions of dollars...maybe you should ask the employees that they have exposed to asbestos on some of their remodel projects because they figured out that it is less expensive for them to pay the small fines that OSHA has doled out to them - then to do the job right and actually protect their workers. Ask them why they have the asbestos awareness class for their employees after they are exposed to asbestos rather than before - can you feel the love? I can't believe that Jan Jones can even keep a straight face when she says how important Harrah's values its' guests and employees. Jan Jones are you sure that you don't have any other problems on any of your other properties...really sure? You said it yet again on TV...and I bet you are going to be saying it again sooner than you think. Must be really helpful for Harrah's to have both the ex-Mayor and the ex-County Manager working for them...what a great find! Keep up the good work...


    sad wrote on October 09, 2007 07:27 PM: I atleast i stayed at a holiday inn express last night.

    All Hotels in Clarke County should be re-inspected Harrah's is not the only Casino with shoddy work.


    watcher wrote on October 09, 2007 06:24 PM: Do you really think Harrahs wants to put themselves in a position to be sued for millions of dollars? I doubt it.

    God: Who made you God?


    Chuckles wrote on October 09, 2007 04:49 PM: Asbestos Related????


    GOD wrote on October 09, 2007 11:42 AM: Corruption, ignorance, and incompetence is like a disease with Harrahs (including the Rio) --- it just keeps spreading and spreading!!!

    Do you really care about your guests or are you just peeved that you got caught putting them in DANGER?!
    We all know the answer to that question!!!


    JOHN wrote on October 09, 2007 11:14 AM: Right...those are the only two properties they have been CAUGHT doing unauthorized renovations. Somehow I think the room closing was more "close these rooms or we close the whole hotel" from the county.


    Ron wrote on October 09, 2007 10:42 AM: Gary Loveman should get a hard hat and start the work along with the construction crew. He is the President and should take total responsibility for everything and the costs should come out of his compensation package. Maybe he should go back to Harvard Business School as a student.


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