Page 6 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Summer, 2026

Taco Fest Champs
The culinary team at Golden Nugget Biloxi won Best in Show at the recent Taco Fest held in Ocean Springs. The team also won second place for their Nawlins’-style shrimp tacos.
Beau poker room manager named Professional of the Year
Earn As You Learn
Hollywood Gulf Coast celebrated its recent Earn As You Learn Dealer Academy graduates. As the name implies, the seven graduates of this latest session were able to earn as they learned to be work as a dealer. (Above) Pictured are Victoria Hendricks (left), table games assistant floor manager, who served as the academy’s instructor, with students Ian Schneider, Kevin Van Peski,
Cole Kanaziz
and (right)
Douglas Brekke. Nicole Rowell, Iyonna Bannock and
Henry Fourmaux also graduated from the program.
Best of Wyndham
A party was held in honor
of hotel team members at WaterView Casino Hotel after the Vicksburg property received the Best of Wyndham Award for guest experience. The award was presented to the top 25 hotels in the Wyndham chain nationwide. WaterView was the only hotel in Mississippi recognized. “We
are so proud to receive this honor as our hotel team has worked incredibly hard to consistently deliver a high level of service to our guests,” said General Manager Penny Bankston. “We look forward to welcoming everyday travelers on their latest adventure, and will continue to strive in surpassing guest expectations.”
BILOXI — Adam Nash, poker room senior manager at Beau Rivage, was named the 2025 Industry Professional of the Year by Gulf Coast Poker. The award is designed to recognize the achievements and contributions of industry professionals, poker players, and content providers.
To be eligible, nominees must have a connection to the extended Gulf Coast Poker region, which includes the southeastern United States.
“I was humbled to be nominated and grateful to be chosen,” said Nash. “However,
the credit truly belongs to the Beau Rivage leadership. Together, we have made significant improvements to our poker offerings and created an environment that fosters positive guest experiences.”
Nash began his first engagement with Gulf Coast Poker as a poker player himself. In 2008, Nash was a traveling poker tournament dealer. He transitioned to an in-house poker dealer in 2011, and was named a poker shift manager in 2014.
Gulf Coast Poker is a centralized information hub for poker players in the region.
Adam Nash (right) accepts his 2025 Gulf Coast Poker award.
Golden Ticket Winners
The food and beverage teams from Boomtown Casino Biloxi and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast participated in the Mississippi Heroes Beer and Bacon Festival in March. The team won second place in the bacon category,
third place for best overall people’s choice, and third place for people’s choice
best cocktail. (Left) Chefs Deandre Frost and Antoine Hopkins won a Golden Ticket for their dish, bacon-wrapped jalapeño peppers, and will go to Indianapolis to compete in the BBQ Championship later this year.
6MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS SUMMER 2026