Margaritaville falls victim to coronavirus

During Wednesday’s question and answer session, Mayor George Flaggs Jr. mentioned that Margaritaville may be on the verge of closing.

Employees of Margaritaville Hotel Vicksburg learned from a letter signed by CEO Gary Blanton that they will be furloughed with just two weeks pay, beginning Sunday, Aug 23. The duration of the closure is not known.

The letter cites a decline in leisure travel due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic as the catalyst for the corporate decision to close. The beginning of the school year is always a hindering factor on leisure travel, and the effects of the pandemic have pushed the occupancy below operational levels.

Having opened during the summer of 2018, the venue has been operating just two short years before becoming the first hotel in Vicksburg to close its doors due to the impact of COVID-19.