LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Casino operator MGM Mirage said Wednesday it plans to "quickly" rebuild its Beau Rivage resort in Biloxi, Miss., severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

As the damage assessment begins, the company said it will commit to rebuild the resort, utilize employees in recovery and reconstruction wherever possible and aid impacted employees.

"We plan to rebuild and rebuild quickly," Bobby Baldwin, president and chief executive of the company's Mirage Resorts unit, said in a statement. "While we will take the time necessary to carefully assess the situation, we are also dedicated to identifying the fastest way to rebuild and restart the Gulf Coast economy and the lives of our employees and their community."

MGM said it has invested some $800 million in Beau Rivage to date. With the announced rebuilding program, it will have invested more than $1 billion in the Gulf Coast region once the hotel reopens, the company said.

Workers have already cleared most of the mud and debris from Beau Rivage so assessment of the structural integrity and essential systems such as electricity and plumbing can begin.

"Massive numbers of man-hours and labor will be required to restore Beau Rivage and the Biloxi area in general," Baldwin said.

The company said it has committed to paying the resort's 3,400 employees for the next 90 days and is working to match workers with jobs at its other properties.

MGM also said it is committed to rehiring the employees after Beau Rivage reopens.