Published on: December 20, 2024, 05:42h.
Last updated on: December 20, 2024, 05:42h.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) has approved a location for a new casino resort in Biloxi, which will be built from scratch.
This would be the first casino to open in Biloxi along the Gulf Coast since the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in June 2007.
On Thursday, the MGC gave the green light to the Tullis Garden Hotel and Casino site. Spanning 35 acres, the property is situated at 360 Beach Blvd., just west of Harrah’s Gulf Coast.
The MGC determined that the site meets its gaming requirements and has a tidelands lease with the state as per Mississippi’s casino regulations.
Following Hurricane Katrina, the state legislature changed riverboat laws to allow for land-based gaming along the Gulf Coast. Casinos must be constructed within 800 feet of the 19-year average high water mark.
Since the state owns the tidelands, developers must secure lease agreements to build on or near the coast.
Tullis Project
The individual behind the Tullis Gardens Hotel & Casino project is Tennessee businessman Israel Schwartz. He aims to honor the former Tullis-Toledano Manor, a Greek Revival mansion constructed in the 1850s but demolished during Hurricane Katrina.
The historic residence, once a summer retreat for Garner Tullis of New Orleans, who was the president of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange, served as a museum and community center for three decades until its destruction in 2005.
The Tullis Gardens proposal includes an 11-story, 300-room hotel with over 53,000 square feet of gaming space. The casino will feature more than 900 slot machines, 35 live dealer tables, and a sportsbook. Additionally, a replica of the former Tullis-Toledano Manor will be part of the resort.
Obtaining site approval from the MGC is just the first step in the process of constructing a new casino in Biloxi. The developers of Tullis Gardens must now secure funding and provide evidence of financial backing to the MGC. Schwartz and his team will then undergo suitability assessments.
If all goes according to plan for Schwartz, his company will then proceed with obtaining construction permits and final design approval from the MGC.
Another Casino Proposal Delayed
While the MGC approved the site for Tullis Gardens, it delayed action on a nearby casino resort proposal. Adjacent to the Tullis Gardens site is another project called Tivoli Casino. Tivoli is “I love it” spelled backwards with slight alterations.
The proponents of Tivoli have outlined plans for a $1 billion development featuring 1,300 hotel rooms, a convention center, and a 100,000-square-foot casino with 2,000 slots, 75 tables, and a sportsbook. Headed by local developer Danny Conwill, the Tivoli location is just west of the Biloxi Yacht Club on 32 acres acquired for $40 million post-Katrina.
Gaming commissioners noted that the Tivoli site lacks a tidelands lease and is entangled in legal disputes. Conwill asserts that he has a local contract with the Biloxi Council to build a pier across from his intended casino location that meets the 800-foot water requirement. Mississippi State Secretary Michael Watson is contesting this claim in an ongoing court case.