September 13, 2018
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Casinos fill the Atlantic City skyline, May 1, 2018.
As Hurricane Florence makes its way to North and South Carolina, projected to bring with it 110-mph winds and torrential rains, evacuees in search of places to stay may have some luck at the Ocean Resort Casino.
Bruce Deifik, owner of Ocean Resort Casino, announced that anyone fleeing the path of Hurricane Florence can stay for free at his hotel until the storm passes. Guests seeking refuge must show proper identification proving they live an area being evacuated by the storm, and can call ahead to reserve space.
The Ocean Family welcomes #HurricaneFlorence Evacuees from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia! Ocean Resort Casino will be providing somewhere safe, warm and dry to those impacted by Hurricane Florence at no cost. #TheOceanAC
— Ocean Resort Casino (@TheOceanAC) September 13, 2018
Full Details: https://t.co/UD28ujmHxE pic.twitter.com/SgkQsWLrvG
Deifik said the casino will oblige requests for evacuees from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia for as long as rooms are available.
"It's the right thing to do. We've got plenty of rooms and we'll let people stay until the storm has passed," Deifik told the Associated Press.
"Ninety-five percent of people I'm sure will be honest about it. There's always going to be some scammers, but if it takes letting a few of them slip by in order to help the majority of people, then so be it."
Ocean Resort has 1,399 rooms and is one of the newest casinos in Atlantic City, having just opened last June. It sits in the old Revel Casino Hotel space, which shuttered in 2014.
Though Florence was downgraded to a Category 2 storm, its path is still expected to effect a corridor of more than 10 million people.
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