After appeals from Ray Wooldridge, a former owner of NBA's New Orleans Hornets

Mississippi Supreme Court rejects proposed Biloxi casino site

RW Development appealed to the Harrison County Circuit Court, and a circuit judge affirmed the commission’s decision in 2019. The company appealed to the state Supreme Court, whose justices on Thursday affirmed the circuit court ruling.
2020-12-14
Reading time 2:11 min
The ruling Thursday said the location where Wooldridge built Big Play Entertainment Center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast does not meet state standards for where casinos are allowed to locate. Biloxi City Council will discuss Tuesday tax-related proposals to favor a casino projected at the former Tivoli Hotel site in East Biloxi, and the Broadwater Casino in west Biloxi.

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a proposed casino site on the Mississippi Gulf Coast does not meet state standards for where casinos are allowed to locate.

Ray Wooldridge, a former owner of the New Orleans Hornets NBA team, started trying in 2008 get approval for a casino site that’s a bit inland in Biloxi, using the business name RW Development LLC, the Associated Press reports. The Mississippi Gaming Commission rejected the site in 2008, 2017 and 2019. RW Development appealed to the Harrison County Circuit Court, and a circuit judge affirmed the commission’s decision in 2019. The company appealed to the state Supreme Court, whose justices on Thursday affirmed the circuit court ruling.

Mississippi law specifies that state-regulated casinos can only locate along the Mississippi River or on the Gulf Coast. The original law required casinos to be over water. After Hurricane Katrina hurled massive casino barges onto land in 2005, legislators modified the law to allow casinos on the coast to develop a short distance inland but only if other parts of the resort development touch water.

The Sun Herald reported that Wooldridge built Big Play Entertainment Center at the site while he waited for permission to proceed with his plans for a casino. The complex now has bowling, miniature golf, laser tag and other family amusements.

Other casino proposals in Biloxi

Thirteen years after a $1 billion casino resort was proposed on the former Tivoli Hotel site in East Biloxi, the developers are asking for tax incentives to entice investors to support a $700 million hotel, casino and conference center. On Tuesday’s Biloxi City Council agenda is a proposal for the city to forgive 50% of the ad valorem tax on the new construction for five years and 10% of the city’s share of the annual casino license fees for five years. Harrison County supervisors also will be asked to approve the incentives.

Also at the meeting Tuesday, the Biloxi Council will consider a tax increment financing (TIF) bond of up to $78 million to help pay for infrastructure improvements for the proposed Broadwater Casino in west Biloxi. The Tivoli resort would be built on 30 acres owned by Biloxi Capital — a company led by Coast developer Danny Conwill — at the site that has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago. Biloxi Capital proposes that the 1,300-room hotel, 100,000-square-foot conference center and regional retail would create about 3,000 jobs.

Dakia Global U-Ventures is partnering with Universal Music Group, the largest music company in the world, to build UMUSIC resorts in Biloxi, Atlanta and Orlando. The developer expects the venture to create 2,557 full-time and part-time jobs.

Also proposed in East Biloxi, members of the rock band KISS are partnering to develop a new Rock & Brews casino. The $200 million casino would have a 300-room hotel, a fine dining restaurant, a 40,000-square-foot or larger casino and a parking garage, along with a unique amenity the Gaming Commission requires to grow the market.

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