Lately Mother Nature hasn’t been kind to brick and mortar casinos. Last month saw the closing of the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Hotel and Casino due to flooding. As the Ohio River continued to rise, the casino was closed due to safety concerns for patrons. Shortly after that casino was reopened, Harrah’s Casino in Illinois closed due to flooding, again due to rising water levels in the Ohio River. Both casinos are now back open and running, but the natural disasters caused them to lose business and a good deal of money.

Now a New Mexico casino has closed due to dangerous wildfires. On Sunday, the spreading flames of a grass fire forced the evacuation of many residents and businesses in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. Four homes and several barns were damaged by the blaze and a stretch of a major highway was closed. Authorities also closed the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino, ordering its evacuation for the safety of customers and employees. Approximately 1,000 homes and businesses were affected by the wildfire, either by damage, losing power or evacuation.

At this time, the origin of the fire is not known. Recent reports suggest that the fire has not yet been contained by firefighters and is continuing to spread thanks to the wind. The wildfire has tripled in size since yesterday and has burned more than 6,500 acres of land around the southern New Mexico communities. It is not known when the racetrack casino will be able to reopen. At this point, the primary concern is in containing the fire and keeping people safe.

Tags: New Mexico gambling, racino