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Mississippi Casinos Get Help for Storm Threat

MISSISSIPPI – As reported by the Biloxi Sun-Herald: "State officials finally took a step toward addressing one of the pressing issues facing Coast casinos: the threat that hurricanes and deteriorating gambling barges pose to the nearly $1.2 billion industry.

"Late last month, Secretary of State Eric Clark formed an ad-hoc task force, which includes representatives from the Mississippi Gaming Commission, the Gulf Coast Gaming Association, the city of Biloxi, Gov. Haley Barbour's office, the Legislature and the Department of Marine Resources.

"The task force, which was formed during a public hearing to address Back Bay Investments' plan to build a concrete basin on uplands for a future casino project, is long overdue. Some Biloxi City Council members were upset Clark didn't immediately give them guidance on Back Bay Investments' project, but a serious discussion about the long-term security of Coast casinos is far more important than one project that may or may not be built.

"…During the nearly 12 years of legalized gambling, the Coast has been lucky and dodged major hurricanes. But the glancing blows struck by Hurricane Georges in 1998 and Tropical Storm Isidore and Hurricane Lili in 2002 were enough to close resorts, cause millions in damages and crimp casino revenues…"

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