Updated as of: October 4, 2006 ///////////// Biloxi Photos now online //////////////////// This is a work in progress ///////
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Please email corrections updates and trip reports to contact @ PlayMiss.com //////////////// Good luck!
The LatestSilver Slipper Casino Opening November 9th The Coast's newest casino, located in Waveland (near Bay St Louis in Hancock County) at the former site of the Bayou Caddy casino, will feature table games and over 1000 slot machines. Guests may sign up online now to be charter members of the players club. (Source: SilverSlipper-ms.com) Island View Casino Opened on Sept 18th. Inside the old Grand Casino Gulfport's Oasis Hotel building with 1,033 slots and 14 table games (will expand next spring). It was redeveloped by the former owners of the Copa Casino. Hollywood Casino Bay St Louis Open. Formerly Casino Magic Bay St Louis. Reopened August 31, 2006 as the Hollywood Casino Bay St Louis with 1200 slot machines, 20 tables games, and 6 poker tables in a temporary land-based facility this year. The hotel will open initially with 291 guest rooms. now accepting reservations. Beau Rivage Open - Grand Opening was August 29th, please click here for special value hotel room rates. Grand Casino Biloxi Re-Opened Grand Casino Hotel & Spa re-opened August 17th with 800 slots, 28 table games, 500 hotel rooms, Grand Buffet, an Asian Cafe, LB's Steakhouse, Starbucks, and the spa (pending regulatory approval). (Source: Harrahs press release August 8th) Hard Rock to be Rebuilt Owners of the Hard Rock Biloxi have hired a contruction firm to rebuild the casino with an expected completion date of July 4, 2007. (Source: Sun Herald July 4th) Mid-August Opening for Grand Casino Biloxi - The gambling floor is being relocated inside the Bayview Hotel on the north side of U.S. 90. The casino resort will reopen in mid-August with slots, table games, 495 hotel rooms and a 1,600-square-foot spa. Its parent company, Harrah's Entertainment, has announced intentions to build a much bigger resort that will be an investment of more than $1 billion. The Island View Hotel tower was demolished in May. Boomtown Biloxi Open Reopened 10:10 AM on June 29th with 1000 slots, 22 table games, buffet, etc. Plans for expansion in September adding more slots and a new restaurant. (Source: Sun Herald, June 30, 2006) Treasure Bay Open Opened doors on June 21st with 81 slot machines in land-based casino lounge and restaurant. This is the fourth casino to reopen on the Coast. Plans to open expansion in October with 550 slots and 22 table games. (Source: Sun Herald, June 22, 2006) The golf course will reopen in mid-September. The RV Park is operating. (Source: Penn National Gaming press release May 22, 2006) Harrah's To Acquire Casino Site. Harrah's, owner of Grand Casino Biloxi, announced plans to purchase the Casino Magic Biloxi resort from Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. The 18 acre site is adjacent to the Grand Casino property. Pinnacle is exiting the Gulf Coast casino market. (Source: Harrah's Press Release, April 17, 2006) Ship Island Excursions Resume. Begining April 14th, boat trips from the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor to West Ship Island and Fort Massachesetts, Wednesday thru Sunday. (Source: Sun Herald, April 14, 2006) More Hotels Opening. See our updated list of open Biloxi and Gulfport Hotels below. New Resorts Planned: Bacaran Bay The $500M development is under construction on the Back Bay west of the Imperial Palace. It will include condominiums, hotel, gaming, and more. Foxwoods to Develop Broadwater Site Foxwoods Development Company (Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, operators of Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut) plans a $1.3 billion development on the 260-acre Biloxi Broadwater property to include a $400M casino, condos, hotels, retail, restaurants, golf, and a marina. Trump & Diamondhead Trump Entertainment Resorts and Diamondhead Casino Corp. signed a letter of intent to develop a casino resort in Hancock County on the north shore of the Bay of St. Louis near Interstate 10. (Source: Sun Herald June 12) D'Iberville Resort Peter Simon (a former Mandalay Resort Group executive), filed a notice of intent to build a resort in D'Iberville on a 30 acre site west of I-110. New Isle of Capri Resort Planned Isle is planning a $250-300Million resort in west Harrison County
on the north shore of the Bay of St. Louis, to include
2,000 gaming positions, a 500-room hotel, five restaurants and other amenities.
(Source: IP Press Release June 15)
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Driving to Biloxi
US-90 bridges out.
Drive south on I-110 from I-10 to Biloxi.
Or drive south on US-49 from I-10 (or from the airport) to Gulfport and then east on US-90 to Biloxi.
Gulfport-Biloxi Airport (GPT) -
The airport is open and undergoing a major expansion and renovation. Please excuse the dust.
See also the following non-casino hotels:
There are also a few hotels at I-10 exits (e.g. at US-49 in Gulfport); I do not know about availability there.
Beau Rivage - Closed. Sustained major damage and flooding to lower three floors. There has been an army of construction workers repairing the facilities. Beau Rivage is reopening on August 29, 2006 with an updated design, new restaurants, a poker room, and other amenities.
Boomtown Biloxi - Re-Opened June 29, 2006 with 1000 slot machines, 22 table games, and a buffet. Expanded casino and new restaurant planned for September.
Casino Magic Biloxi - Closed permanently. The casino barge was destroyed and sat north of Beach Blvd across from the resort after the hurricane. The hotel showed moderate damage. Harrah's, which owns the Grand Casino Biloxi next door, purchased the facilities.
Casino Magic Bay St Louis Closed. It will be rethemed and open as Hollywood Casino Bay St Louis later this year.
Copa - Closed. Gulfside Casino Partnership (the former owners of Copa Casino) purchased the Grand Casino Gulfport from Harrah's. Phase I of the project is expected to open in Septmber 2006.
Grand Casino Biloxi -
Re-opened August 17th. Phase I will includes 500 hotel rooms, a steakhouse, buffet, pool, spa, and a casino inside the Bayview Hotel.
The hurricane left Grand's casino barge just north of Beach Blvd about one block west of the resort. The Island View Hotel was imploded. Other structures exhibit moderate damage.
Harrah's has announced plans to invest more than $1B building two casinos (one on each side of Beach Blvd). On April 17 they also announced plans to acquire the Casino Magic Biloxi property.
Grand Casino Gulfport - Closed. All structures showed major damage. The Grand Events center was obliterated (only a skeleton remained).
Harrah's will not reopen this great casino. However they are selling it to the owners of Copa Casino, who will develop it. Phase I is expected to open in September 2006.
Imperial Palace Biloxi (IP) - Re-opened December 22nd. The casino's barge is operational as are most of the resort's facility's.
IP has undergone a major restoration and makeover. The hotel lobby is completely remodeled in a more contemporary style. There are new bars and restaurants, and the hotel rooms have also been renovated.
With few casinos open in the area, the crowds at IP can be large in weekends, which leads to congestion in the parking garage and gaming floor, and waits for restaurant seating.
Isle of Capri Biloxi - Re-opened December 26th with 950 new slots, 27 table games, a poker room, two restaurants, and 550 hotel rooms.
Isle's casino barge was damaged, so the gaming and the buffet is now housed in space formerly used for meetings and banquets in the hotel's first floor (past the hotel registration counter). The space is small and the crowds can be large on weekends, so be prepared to wait and be patient if you choose to play there.
Palace Casino Resort - Re-opened December 30th. The casino barge is partially capsized and destroyed, but the hotel building looks good.
Their casino begins just inside the front door in the lobby, and is on two levels. The are over 800 new slots and 14 table games. Weekend crowds can be large, and parking sprawls over the surrounding neighborhood.
Hard Rock Biloxi - closed. Re-opening July 4, 2007.
President Casino - Foxwoods has acquired and will be redeveloping the President Broadwater property ($1B project).
The casino barge is gone, hotel sustained severe damage. The marina was also destroyed.
Treasure Bay - Phase I opened June 21. It is a restaurant lounge with 81 slots and a bar. The hotel will reopen in October with an expanded casino.
The casino barge was destroyed and aground on the beach. The dining building was also destroyed. Hotel had major damage.
Besides the casinos, most the restaurants are gone.
Here is what the re-opened casinos have to offer:
You can also find open restaurants on US-49 in Gulfport near I-10 (Applebees, Hooters, McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc).
Video Poker - Imperial Palace has vp machines on both floors including 9/6 Jacks or Better (JOB) from 25 cents and up. Isle of Capri opened with very limited numbers of vp machines, but have reportedly opened a video poker room with some 9/6 JOB and 8/5 Bonus Poker machines (approximately 50 poker machines in total now). The Palace Casino had some Game Master machines with 8/5 JOB from 25 cents.
Live Poker - Isle of Capri and Imperial Palace poker rooms are open. Beau Rivage opens August 29.
Isle of Capri has free casino entertainment on weekends.