Page 10 - MGHA - Annual Report, 2018

25 YEARS OF GAMING
Mississippi Had No “Legal” Gaming
Cruise Vessels were Cruise Vessels
When gaming was first legalized in Mississippi under the 1989 Cruise Vessel Gaming Act, the term “cruise vessel” was coined. Ships like the Europa Star, Europa Jet and others began operating cruises to nowhere. In 1990, Mississippi passed the Gaming Control Act allowing dockside casinos to operate in counties that passed a referendum approving gaming.
Biloxi before the gaming industry (circa 1980s)
August 1, 1992 — The Day
the First Casino Opened Dockside casinos opened first in Biloxi, Mississippi, and were met with customers who waited in line all day (and all night) at a chance to play the slots.The operators had no idea they would be met with such a demand.
Mhoon Landing/Splash
Casino
Splash Casino became the first casino in Tunica opening on Oct. 19, 1992. Like the casinos on the Coast, the owners were met with long lines of customers waiting to get in. Splash charged $10 for admission.
Highway 61 Looked
Like This
Pioneers of Riverboat Gaming
Came from the Midwest
The first pioneers of dockside riverboat gaming
did not come from Las Vegas as one might expect. Bernie Goldstein, Lyle Berman, Marlin Torguson, Rick Carter and Terry Green came from places like Iowa, Minnesota,Texas and Mississippi.
Marlin Torguson
Tunica Became the Third
Largest Gaming Market in the
United States
In 1993,Tunica was transformed. By the late 1990s, Tunica County, previously one of the poorest counties in the country, became
the third largest gaming market in the United States. Tunica attracted thousands of customers from Tenneessee.
Lula was Thriving
In June 1994, the Lady Luck Rhythm & Blues Casino opened in Lula. In 2000, Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. acquired the thriving casinos, which had customers coming across the Helena bridge from Arkansas.
Gaming Tax Dollars Began Changing Mississippi
Vicksburg Had 5 Casinos For a brief period, five casinos operated in Vicksburg, Mississippi, making it the third largest gaming market in Mississippi.There was Ameristar Casino, Rainbow Casino (now Lady Luck), Isle of Capri (now WaterView Casino), Horizon Casino (now closed) and Riverwalk Casino, which opened in 2008.
Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg
Natchez Casinos
Lady Luck opened the first casino in Natchez, which operated as the only casino in Natchez for almost 25 years. Premier Gaming opened Magnolia Bluffs, the second casino in Natchez, in 2013.
There was a Las Vegas
in Greenville
As gaming continued to thrive along the river, gaming expanded to Greenville, Mississippi, in Washington County. One of the early casinos was Las Vegas Casino. Currently, Greenville is home to Harlow’s Casino and Trop Casino.