Plans for two new casinos in east Biloxi are advancing as developers seek site approval from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. The projects, Tullis Gardens Hotel and Biloxi Capital’s Tivoli development, are located just a few blocks apart but represent separate ventures.
“They’re two different casinos,” clarified Jay McDaniel, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
The Tullis Gardens Hotel and casino will be located just west of Harrah’s Gulf Coast, while Biloxi Capital’s proposed site sits near the Biloxi Yacht Club and Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art. Both developers are aiming to secure site approval, which is a necessary step before moving forward with construction.
Tullis Gardens’ site approval request is scheduled to be presented to the Gaming Commission on Thursday in Jackson. Meanwhile, the legal advertisement for Biloxi Capital’s site is currently running in the Sun Herald, and the commission will consider it after the required three-week notice period concludes.
Receiving site approval is only the first hurdle in a lengthy process. Once approved, developers must submit detailed plans and financial records demonstrating their ability to complete the casino resorts before construction can begin.
The Tullis Gardens Hotel was initially proposed as a resort, but a feasibility study revealed that a casino would be needed to ensure profitability. The developers added 100 additional hotel rooms, bringing the total to 300, meeting the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s minimum requirements.
The Tullis Gardens development, led by Israel “Izzy” Schwartz of Tennessee, who owns 90% of the project, and Luke Lenzi, Schwartz’s attorney and the CEO, will feature a 53,280-square-foot casino floor, 909 slot machines, 35 table games, and a sportsbook. The resort will also include a reproduction of the historic Tullis Manor, destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, alongside an 11-story hotel tower.
Biloxi Capital’s Tivoli project is located on a 32-acre site near the Biloxi Yacht Club and the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art. The site was originally proposed as the $1 billion Tivoli Casino in 2007. Developer Danny Conwill and Biloxi Capital LLC acquired the property for $40 million after Hurricane Katrina, and it remains zoned for casino development.
The proposed plans include a 1,300-room hotel, a 100,000-square-foot casino space, 2,000 slot machines, 75 table games, and a sportsbook. The development will also feature convention space and other amenities.
Biloxi already hosts eight casinos, with several more proposals in recent years. In December 2023, RW Development received site approval for a casino at U.S. 90 and Veterans Boulevard, with a three-year deadline to begin construction. The approval process is strict, with developers required to adhere to regulatory timelines or risk losing their approval.
Previous proposals, such as a Rock & Brews casino resort by the rock band KISS, were abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That property is now being repurposed into Hammered Harry’s restaurant and entertainment complex.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2024/10/16/82107-two-new-casino-projects-in-biloxi-head-for-mississippi-gaming-commission-approval
