Ryan Amundson, Potawatomi's external communications manager, said a construction worker hit a gas line while working on the casino's expansion project.,”Potawatomi Bingo Casino is rolling forward with its expansion project, despite a hiccup Monday.
Employees and visitors evacuated the casino Monday morning after a gas leak, said Ryan Amundson, Potawatomi's external communications manager.
Anne E. Schwartz, spokeswoman for the Milwaukee Police Department, said MPD responded to the call for the building's evacuation.
No one was injured in the accident, Amundson said.
A construction worker hit a gas line while working on the casino's $240 million expansion project that is set to open in May 2008, Amundson said.
The expansion will triple the size of the 256,000-square-foot casino, located at 1721 W. Canal St.
The project will add 3,000 slots to the gaming floor and include two restaurants, a parking structure and a food court. The expansion will not affect the bingo floor, Amundson said.
Moises Gomez, a senior in the College of Business Administration, said he has played bingo at the casino but hasn't gambled at the establishment. When he does gamble, Gomez said, he only plays table games so the additional slots won't make the casino more appealing to him.
"This would not attract me more to the casino because I do not go to the casino to eat or play the slots. I would only go to play the table games," Gomez said.
Amundson said he could not give information about the casino's expected revenue gains from the expansion because of company policies.
The state received $29.4 million in revenue sharing with the casino this year. The city received $4.82 million and the county received the same, Amundson said.
Potawatomi opened in 1991 and attracts around 2 million visitors a year, according to the casino's Web site.
Along with the revenue, 1,000 new jobs will be available because of the casino's expansion, Amundson said.
"More security will be included in the 1,000 jobs because the more space you have, you need more security," Amundson said.
Casino officials have little concern about security problems once the expansion opens because of the casino's additional security and its good relationship with MPD, Amundson said.
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