Page 4 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Winter, 2025

Guest Editorial
MGHA chair reflects on Mississippi gaming
Official Newsmagazine of the Mississippi Gaming Industry
WINTER 2025 Volume XXII Issue 4
STAFF
W. Michael Sunderman
Publisher michael@m2mediacorp.com
Lori Beth Susman
General Manager / Executive Editor loribeth@m2mediacorp.com
Mary Sunderman
Associate Publisher mary@m2mediacorp.com
David Grisham
Contributing Editor david@m2mediacorp.com
Amy Chataginer
Business Manager manager@m2mediacorp.com
Designers
Brian Treadaway
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Copyright, 2025
Mississippi Gaming News
(MGN) is owned and published by M2 Media Corp., 12268 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503. MGN is produced in cooperation with the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association. The contents of MGN are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
By Mike Bruffey
I am honored to reflect on my experience and ties to the gaming industry in Mississippi. It began, unknowingly, 35
years ago when I proposed to my wife on the upper deck of the Europa Star under
a full moon. It was my 22nd birthday. At that time, I had no idea what the gaming industry would
become or the
impact it would have on my life and the lives of all Mississippians.
Our gaming
pioneers were
business leaders
and government
leaders who
emerged in Mike 1988 seeking to
dockside casino in the United States and the only publicly traded gaming company with its headquarters located in Mississippi. I had the privilege of working with gaming pioneers like Bernie Goldstein, Alan Solomon, Greg Guida, Jack Gallaway, Tim Hinkley, Les McMackin, Rexford Yeisley, James Guay, Robert Boone, Donn Mitchell, Rob Norton and many others. It was then that I began my friendship with Michael Sunderman and the entire team at M2 Media.
Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina came ashore and devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast — the entire 26 miles crossing Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties. It literally appeared as if a bomb had gone off. All landmarks were gone. The bridges were crippled and the entire casino industry along the Gulf Coast lay in ruins. IP Casino, Isle of Capri and Harrah’s were up and running in temporary facilities within a few months.
Beau Rivage re-opened on the first anniversary date of the storm (Aug. 29, 2006), making a statement about the resilience of the Mississippi gaming industry and its commitment to re-emerge better and stronger than ever.
Fifteen years ago, I joined IP Casino Resort & Spa as its vice president and general counsel where I worked with the amazing team assembled by Jon Lucas, including the likes of Lee Bond, Pete Burns, Connie McKay, Stephen Morgan, Bob Brigham and so many others.
I soon realized that IP Casino was owned by the most charitable family group I had ever known, Betty Engelstad, Kris Ann Engelstad McGarry, Owen Nitz, and Jeff Cooper (the Engelstad Family Foundation). When IP sold, I joined Boyd Gaming (an amazing company led by Bill Boyd and Keith Smith). Boyd Gaming dates to the earliest days of gaming in Las Vegas. I have so much respect for the way Boyd Gaming manages and operates its casino locations; first- class. And they remained true to the legacy of charitable giving that the Engelstad Foundation began following Katrina.
Twelve years ago, I took on the role as deputy director of the Mississippi Gaming &
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legalize gaming.
Prior to this point, gaming consisted
of bookies, slots in various lodges and businesses, with poker or craps tables scattered in various backrooms that locals knew about, but that were not advertised. The “gaming industry” was untaxed and unregulated.
By 1989, the Cruise Vessel Gaming
Act had been put in place, and the Gaming Control Act would soon follow legalizing gaming so long as it had a connection to the water and remained “dockside.” The visionaries of that time brought in barges which complied with the law as they remained floating on the water, but with full casino structures built on the barges, which provided customers with a Las Vegas-styled gaming experience.
As gaming expanded, the infrastructure rules gradually expanded. Operators were initially required to invest in non-gaming amenities based on a ratio of 25 cents for every dollar spent on gaming amenities. This expanded to a dollar-for-dollar match, and soon first-class hotels, restaurants, golf courses emerged, all of which attracted visitors to Mississippi.
Twenty-five years ago, I joined Isle of Capri Casinos as a staff attorney working in the corporate headquarters located in Biloxi (May 1, 2000). Isle of Capri was the first
Bruffey
4MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS
WINTER 2025