Page 7 - MGHA Annual Report, 2020

AGA: CASINOS & COMMUNITIES
IP Casino Resort Spa and the American Gaming Association (AGA) hosted state legislators, local business owners, nonpro t leaders, and gaming industry representatives in Biloxi to discuss casino gaming’s deep roots
in the Magnolia State’s economy and communities.
The event was held in conjunction with the release of AGA’s Casinos
& Communities: Mississippi report, which pairs gaming’s economic impact data — more than 37,000 jobs supported and $1.6 billion in wages generated annually across Mississippi — with rsthand perspectives from Mississippians.
AGA President and CEO Bill Miller prefaced the panel discussion by noting, “There’s no such thing as the company town without the company... [Mississippi] is a great example of the casino industry creating economic hubs
that allow for gateways to the middle class.”
Looking back on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Duncan McKenzie, IP Casino general manager, said, “We got up fast and we were able
to help our vendors get up
faster because we required
goods and services from
them... we’re proud to be a
part of the team of casinos
throughout the state that
help other industries and
create tax bases.”
State Rep. Richard Bennett expanded upon what the gaming industry meant to him as a state of cial, explaining, “You’re talking about people with retirements, you’re talking about good healthcare, you’re talking about a stable job... and the industry has been good to the state by reinvesting back.”
The panel covered a variety of additional industry topics, including regulation and charitable support for local communities.
Miller concluded the morning’s discussion by emphasizing the
industry’s commitment to responsible gaming,
focusing his remarks on the importance of responsible
advertising in sports betting as legal sports wagering enters
the mainstream in Mississippi and across the country.
The panel also featured Allen Godfrey, executive director,
Mississippi Gaming Commission, and John McFarland, executive director, southeast Mississippi chapter of the American Red Cross. Larry Gregory, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association, moderated the panel.