Harrah's blames New Orleans nonsmoking laws for drop in local revenue
 

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The smoking ban enacted in New Orleans has driven Harrah?s customers away.

That was the argument March 21 from Caesar?s Entertainment, the global casino enterprise that owns Harrah?s New Orleans Casino & Hotel. Representatives testified to the state?s Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Task Force a $70 million loss in gaming revenues since the parish implemented the ban two years ago.

Company president and CEO Mark Frissora, company South regional president Dan Real and task force chairman Ronnie Johns all acknowledged the correlation.

But 24 hours later, Cynthia Hallett, the president and CEO for Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, called those accusations ?baseless.?

Real said Tuesday he does not expect the parish to repeal the ban, nor is the company actively lobbying against it.?