Bankruptcy judge says Caesars can demolish Harrah's casino in Mississippi, despite objections

A Chicago bankruptcy judge has blessed plans to dismantle the former casino at the shuttered Harrah's complex in Mississippi's Tunica County.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin Goldgar authorized the dismantling on March 30. Caesars Entertainment Corp. is trying to restructure or shed almost $20 billion in debt in the massive bankruptcy case.

It's unclear when work will begin — Tunica County permit clerk Alicia Draper says Caesars hasn't sought a demolition permit. Company spokesman Patrick Collins says only that Caesars is "proceeding with the court-approved process."

Court filings indicate Caesars is likely to void a $3.65 million-a-year land lease with the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board. It's unclear what would then happen to a hotel on the property.

The casino south of Memphis, Tennessee, closed in June, eliminating about 1,000 jobs.