ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. –  An Atlantic City casino owner says he'll take in people fleeing the powerful hurricane due to strike the East Coast this week.

Bruce Deifik (DIE'-fick) tells The Associated Press that he will let anyone fleeing the storm stay at his Ocean Resort Casino for free until the storm has passed.

People must show identification proving they live in an area endangered by the storm.

Deifik is defining that area liberally, saying all reasonable requests for shelter will be accepted as long as rooms remain.

The casino hotel has 1,399 rooms, and reopened in June after being shuttered since 2014.

The Carolinas are bracing for Hurricane Florence, which was threatening a corridor of more than 10 million people on Wednesday.

Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina have declared states of emergency.