Published on: January 30, 2026, 06:02h.
Updated on: January 30, 2026, 08:03h.
- Jim Parrish is taking legal action against the City of Long Beach
- Parrish alleges that city leaders have improperly sidelined his casino initiative
An established entrepreneur in Long Beach, Mississippi, has filed a chancery court lawsuit claiming that city officials have conspired to block his casino development.
Jim Parrish, owner of Parrish’s Restaurant & Lounge and The Inn at Magnolia Alley in Bay St. Louis, signed a 20-year agreement with Long Beach in February 2010 to manage his restaurant on city-owned beachfront land. This area was previously leased by another entity that created a structure some locals compare to a “submarine in the sky.”
Parrish envisions transforming the site into a casino resort located directly across Beach Boulevard/US 90, on the old Kmart location which was demolished following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Legal Action for Casino Project
Parrish contends that Long Beach Mayor Tim Pierce, elected in April 2024, has deliberately obstructed his casino ambitions to favor other potential resort initiatives. In November 2024, the Long Beach Board of Aldermen approved plans for Long Beach Harbor Resort LLC’s casino operations, which is Parrish’s managerial entity for this venture.
According to Parrish’s lawsuit, Pierce and the Aldermen are working to attract different developers to lead the city’s casino project. Parrish aims for the discovery phase of this lawsuit to clarify which officials have engaged with potential developers regarding the project.
Parrish’s legal representation claims that Pierce has informed other developers that Parrish’s pier lease is on a month-to-month basis, whereas Parrish asserts his lease extends until February 2030.
The former mayor of Long Beach, George Bass, had previously shown support for Parrish’s project.
“This is our chance,” Bass stated in November 2024. “If we let this slip away, we might not get another opportunity like this.”
Prior to his election, Pierce recognized the “largest challenge” facing the city as the “revitalization of our harbor.”
“I frequently hear from people who aren’t local that they travel over the beautiful Bay St. Louis Bridge, go through Pass Christian, and suddenly find themselves in Gulfport. We need to change that narrative. We must enhance our harbor and construct our new pier. My primary goal as mayor of Long Beach is to foster economic growth within the city,” Pierce articulated.
Local Casino Developments
In proximity to Long Beach, three casinos are proposed for development, all targeting the saturated gaming market in Biloxi.
Local entrepreneur Ray Wooldridge has obtained a city permit to construct a casino resort at Veterans Ave. and Beach Blvd, alongside a new accessible pier.
Real estate developers Daniel Conwill and his firm Biloxi Capital are looking to establish a casino resort on the site of the former Tivoli Hotel, which was demolished by Hurricane Katrina. Nearby, Tennessee businessman Israel Schwartz has announced intentions for the Tullis Gardens Hotel & Casino, including a complete replica of the historic Tullis-Toledano Manor, which was also lost to Katrina.