Page 11 - MGHA - Annual Report, 2018

Grand Casino was in
Biloxi, Gulfport and Tunica Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Lyle Berman’s
company operated three casinos in Mississippi — one in Biloxi, one in Gulfport and one in Tunica (pictured, right).
The Day the Beau Rivage
Opened
When Steve Wynn’s $700 million casino
resort opened in March 1999, it changed the standard of what customers would be looking for from a gaming experience and in terms of amenities. Singer Kenny Loggins participated in the ribbon cutting (right).
Imperial Palace added Two
Extra Floors
When Ralph Engelstad realized his building needed two more floors to be as tall as (or taller than) Steve Wynn’s Beau Rivage property, he did not realize it would get him in hot water with local authorities. Engelstad had to pay a fine to the local authorities, but opened with 32 floors and a claim that he was operating the tallest casino in the state.
Katrina Changed Everything
On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the entire gaming industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In the days following the storm, Gov. Haley Barber called a special session. On Sept. 30, 2005, House Bill 45 passed allowing casino operators to rebuild onshore.
Day One All Over Again
In December 2005, Imperial Palace, rebranded as IP Casino Resort Spa, reopened following Hurricane Katrina. With the massive lines, it was like day one all over again. IP Casino and the Engelstad Family Foundation donated millions of dollars in the years following the storm, helping local government, local schools, charities and events to come back.
The Great Recession
Occurred
In 2008, the stock market went into a free-fall, dropped almost 40 percent, marking the beginning of the great recession. Projects
like Caesars’ plan to build a $1 billion casino resort where Grand Biloxi once stood were stopped.
The Great River Flooded
MGCRecognized as
Model Regulatory Body Allen Godfrey,
executive
director of the
Mississippi Gaming Commission, was named IMGL’s Regulator of
t h e Ye a r f o r North America.
Mississippi Celebrated 25 Years of Gaming on Aug. 1, 2017
The Oil Spilled
The Oldest Became Newest In 2012,Tilman Fertitta’s company acquired Isle’s first dockside riverboat casino in Biloxi.After making $150 million in renovations, the property reopened in 2013 as Golden Nugget, Biloxi.
Golden Nugget opening
Non-Gaming Amenities
Became Essential
On Jan. 1, 2014, the Mississippi Gaming Commission put in place Rule 1.5, requiring new casino projects to meet certain standards. In December 2015, Scarlet Pearl opened its doors (with its Lava Links) as the first casino built under the guidelines of Rule 1.5.
MGM Park Opened
June 6, 2015