Monte Carlo Casino Burns

The 3,002 room Monte Carlo Casino is closed indefinitely, the result of a fire that covered the roof and the four top floors Friday morning.  Fortunately, there were no serious injuries – five guests and eight hotel employees were treated for smoke inhalation. 

It is unknown how the fire started, but it stayed relatively contained to the exterior of the building.  Much of the fuel for the blaze was apparently foam used on the outside of the building, which was built in 1994.  Today’s building codes allow for less foam to be used than was permitted back then. 

One hundred twenty firefighters did a fantastic job containing the fire, putting it out in about an hour.  Guests of the Monte Carlo, which was booked to capacity, will be allowed to stay at the hotel’s sister properties, the MGM Grand, Treasure Island, Mirage, and Mandalay Bay.  They will be allowed back in this weekend to retrieve their personal belongings.   

There is no timetable for the reopening of the hotel, as officials must determine if the structural integrity of the building has been compromised.  It is possible that the casino may open before the hotel. 

Las Vegas Sun business columnist, Jeff Simpson, estimates that the Monte Carlo could lose $1.1 million in revenue every day that it is closed.