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CONTRIBUTIONS PEOPLE IN MOVING AHEAD ADDED ATTRACTIONS & DONATIONS THE NEWS Official Newsmagazine of the Mississippi Gaming Industry SPRING 2018 www.mslagamingnews.com MISSISSIPPI GAMING HALL OF FAME Inaugural class named at Southern Gaming Summit Table of Contents SPRING 2018 COVER STORY INSIDE 10 Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame The first seven inductees EVERYISSUE were honored during the 2018 Southern Gaming Summit. 35 THISISSUE FEATURES 6 Sports Betting What the Supreme Court’s ruling means for Mississippi. 12 Photo Album A look back at the Southern Gaming Summit. 18 Top Awards Casinos, workers 4 From The MGHA recognized for Southern Gaming Summit was volunteering. 30 big success. 30 Good Times 5 Gaming Revenues Treasure Bay has Mardi A look at first quarter numbers. Gras fun. 42 14 Added Attractions Singer Pitbull designs lounge at MGHANEWS Hard Rock Biloxi. 15 Moving Ahead 38 MGHA Associate Gold Strike names new Member Profile president. Tunica CVB assists in growing the county. 20 People In The News Employees of the year lauded for 40 MGHA Directory their service, achievements. Members and associate members. 32 Contributions & Donations Employees play kickball, build houses, collect trash and donate On The Cover to the community. (From left) Terry Green, Sen. Tommy Gollott, Jack Binion, William S. Boyd, Robert Goldstein and Rick Carter at the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame Gala, part of the Southern Gaming Summit. (Cover photo, as well as all Southern Gaming Summit photography, by Donn Hupp.) SPRING 2018 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS 3 Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Biggest names in MS gaming Official Newsmagazine of the Mississippi Gaming Industry make for big success at SGS SPRING 2018 Volume XV Issue 6 By Larry Gregory the American Gaming Association Geoff Freeman on our first day. To have the We can say goodbye to the 2018 leader of our industry at the national STAFF Southern Gaming Summit (SGS). This level kick things off spoke volumes about W. Michael Sunderman year’s event was particularly meaningful the caliber of this year’s conference. Publisher — it was a show His primary focus was on legalization [email protected] created for the of sports betting. As the ruling on its industry by the legalization neared he cautioned us to Lori Beth Susman General Manager / Executive Editor industry. The be prepared and said that partnerships [email protected] highlight of the would be a key to success. show was the After the keynote and its emphasis Mary Sunderman induction of the on sports betting, we offered a sports Associate Publisher first class of betting panel to discuss the salient [email protected] the Mississippi issues surrounding this topic. We David Grisham Gaming Hall of wanted to provide as much information Editor Fame. We’re as we could to our attendees knowing [email protected] very pleased sports betting will begin to move very Michael Haynes with the Larry quickly in the marketplace. Gregory Business Manager inaugural class. Expansion is on the minds of many in [email protected] In addition to our southern region gaming market. We that, exhibitors offered a panel focused on the possibility Designers got to meet their customers in a very of the legalization of gaming in Georgia. Brian Treadaway Dara Parker relaxed setting, and attendees got to The panel featured Georgia State Rep. Missy Mitchell mingle with speakers, creating a unique Ron Stephens, the sponsor of a bill and powerful networking opportunity. If that would do just that, along with other READER SERVICES you contributed to the success in any panelists who voiced their opinions about Subscriptions way, we say thank you. I would like to the interest of the legislature. For information on subscribing give you a glimpse into the activities Global Gaming Women conducted to Mississippi Gaming News, a quarterly publication, we presented this year. All events another sold out luncheon. It was a email [email protected]. for the SGS took place at the Beau complete success. We were honored to Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. Their have Chief Phyliss Anderson, the first Mississippi Gaming News expertise in conventions coupled with female chief of the Mississippi Band Phone: (228) 385-7707 their beautiful facility made it a perfect of Choctaw Indians, as the keynote Fax: (228) 385-7705 venue for this year’s show. speaker. She credited her mentor, 12268 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503 For our opening night, we had a Chief Phillip Martin, who transformed wonderful reception sponsored by the tribe for 32 years. Chief Anderson Change of Address VizExplorer and Rymax Marketing. The stated that Chief Martin often said, “If Phone: (228) 385-7707 Golden Nugget allowed us to have the you want to get something done, get a [email protected] reception at their gorgeous pool area. woman on it.” The U.S. Postal Service does not The beautiful weather allowed all guests As our conference was winding down, automatically forward magazines. time to enjoy eating and networking. we had a closing night reception at You don’t want to miss a single issue. Golden Nugget General Manager Chett Beau Rivage. This event was tastefully Harrison and his superb staff made done and provided a well-attended Copyright, 2018 Mississippi Gaming News it a wonderful event to kick off the ending to our conference. As previously (MGN) is owned and published by conference. mentioned, the highlight of this year’s M2 Media Corp., 12268 Intraplex We were honored to have as our Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503. keynote speaker President and CEO of >> To Page 7 MGN is produced in cooperation with the Mississippi Find out more about the MGHA, visit msgaming.org Gaming and Hospitality Association. The contents of MGN are copyrighted. Reports • Industry Information • Responsible Gaming News All rights are reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without written permission www.MSGAMING.ORG of the publisher is strictly prohibited. 4 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS SPRING 2018 Nearly 670 associates featured in this issue! MISSISSIPPI GROSS GAMING REVENUES JANUARY 2018 JANUARY 2017 Tunica Region $38,755,212 $44,790,438 Lower River Region $20,574,771 $22,116,915 Coastal Region $92,054,339 $99,102,970 Month Totals $151,384,322 $166,010,323 FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2017 Tunica Region $48,469,379 $50,503,019 Lower River Region $25,206,864 $26,304,366 Coastal Region $97,282,258 $95,120,543 Month Totals $170,958,501 $171,927,928 MARCH 2018 MARCH 2017 Tunica Region $61,408,730 $59,959,324 Lower River Region $31,222,348 $31,272,939 Coastal Region $109,579,860 $109,965,570 Month Totals $202,210,938 $201,197,842 Quarter Totals $524,533,761 $539,136,093 ADJUSTED GAMING REVENUES SUMMARY Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Change Ohio 212,365 206,526 2.8% Louisiana 558,253 547,974 1.9% Pennsylvania 778,963 769,877 1.2% Missouri 438,933 439,349 -0.1% Michigan 360,000 360,450 -0.1% South Florida** 149,786 150,447 -0.4% Iowa 363,673 365,301 -0.4% Indiana 531,333 542,317 -2.0% Mississippi 524,527 539,207 -2.7% Illinois 338,029 254,568 -4.7% New Jersey* 525,333 572,618 -8.3% 543,752 545,564 -0.3% *Excludes approximately $69.6 million in online gaming revenue **South Florida only includes slots at racetracks SPRING 2018 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS 5 Court’s decision allows for sports betting in MS By David Grisham is no surprise… I believe we will have Caesars Entertainment, which and Lori Beth Susman regulations in two weeks.” operates casinos in Biloxi and Tunica, With regulations in place, Mississippi hailed the sports betting decision. MISSISSIPPI — Sports betting is casinos could be handling sports betting Commenting on the ruling, Caesars coming to Mississippi casinos soon. as early as late June, Gregory said. President and CEO Mark Frissora, said, On May 14, 2018, the United States “We’ve got to be ready to go and be in “The Supreme Court’s landmark PASPA Supreme Court ruled PASPA (the operation as soon as possible.” ruling creates a golden opportunity Professional Amateur Sports Protection Although sports betting accounts for to end illegal sports wagering once Act of 1992) unconstitutional. For only 4 percent of revenue in Las Vegas, and for all by creating a well-regulated Mississippi, this means operators can Godfrey said it will be a good step for alternative that sports fans can trust. move ahead with plans to offer sports Mississippi. “It attracts people to the Caesars is a leader in legalized gaming betting and race book. casinos who stay for a day or two in in the U.S. As a result, we expect to Mississippi is in the position to move the hotels, and eat and drink in the be able to provide safe, exciting sports forward on sports betting because of restaurants.” wagering experiences to consumers the Daily Fantasy Sports Act passed “This (sports betting) will mean a big across the country, as we do today in by the Mississippi Legislature in 2016. upswing for us,” Gregory said. “We Nevada.” The act made slight modifications to expect more visitors, especially in the Jonathan Jones, general manager at two provisions of the Mississippi Gaming Tunica area — with new Control Act that would allow sports facilities offering a different betting in the event PASPA was found kind of entertainment.” unconstitutional. In the wake of the U.S. Before commencing sports betting Supreme Court decision, and race book operations, however, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort Mississippi casino operators must first in D’Iberville stated it plans receive permission from the executive to offer sports betting. “We director of the Mississippi Gaming have been working on the Commission possibilities for our sports (MGC).