Officials with Ameristar Casino say it will stay open despite the threat of flooding from the Mississippi River and a predicted 54-foot crest on Jan. 16.

Ameristar remained open during the 2011 spring Mississippi flood, and the river at Vicksburg reached 57.1 feet, nine-tenths of a foot higher than the 1927 flood. The 2011 flood forced two casinos, DiamondJacks and the then-Rainbow (now Lady Luck Casino) to close.

Attempts to contact other casino officials were unsuccessful.

Ameristar remained open during the 2011 flood, Ameristar general manager Gerad Hardy said, because of changes made during that period.

“We were able to make some significant changes and add some infrastructure during the 2011 flood,” Hardy said. One of those changes he said, was the construction of a seawall higher than the 2011 crest that protected the casino and its property. And improvements, he said, have continued.

“From the knowledge and the lessons we’ve learned from our experience in the 2011 flood, we were able to make some significant changes, and our director of engineering has become an expert at mitigating floods,” Hardy said. “We will be ready for the 54-foot crest. The 54-foot crest should not be a problem.”