Page 26 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Summer, 2024

Contributions & Donations
Sheriff’s Department Commander Alec Clark (right) accepts a donation of water from Horseshoe Tunica employees. Horseshoe was just one of the casinos to help when downtown Tunica experience a water line failure.
Tunica casinos come together to help in crisis
TUNICA — When downtown Tunica experienced a serious water line failure in March along Academy Drive near Main Street, Tunica’s
six casinos stepped up to donate water to residents who were left without as crews worked to repair lines.
The failure involved 1,460 feet of water line and the restoration effort involved patching the line
in nine places. Clara Hoover, public information officer for
the Tunica County Sheriff’s Department, described the failure as “catastrophic,” saying each time the line was repaired, failure occurred in a new location.
The town wasted no time
reaching out to Tunica’s six casinos to meet an immediate need — getting water to those impacted. 1st Jackpot Casino, Fitz Casino & Hotel, Gold Strike Casino Resort, Hollywood Casino, Horseshoe Tunica and Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall jumped into action and donated pallets of bottled water to help residents. The Tunica County Sheriff’s Department picked up and delivered the water to homes in the area.
In addition to the casinos, Hoover said the effort to remedy the situation involved the mayor, Board of Aldermen, Tunica Emergency Services and the public works department.
26 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS SUMMER 2024
United Way, Police, Heroes
Boomtown Casino Biloxi and sister property Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast continue to make donations each month to various community organizations. Boomtown donated $1,037.34 to Feeding the Gulf Coast in January; $1,553.76 to the United Way of South Mississippi (above) in February; and $1,411.51 to the Biloxi Police Reserves. Hollywood’s charity for January was Animal AID of Mississippi with a total of $2,501.78 donated; in February, Mississippi Heroes received $2,123.25; and in March, the Bay St. Louis Police Department Fallen Officer Fund (below) was given $2,790.60. Presented to organization officials by property executives, the money is raised through guest donations of casino ticket-in, ticket-out vouchers.
Hop The Trail
Beau Rivage employees recently
volunteered at Biloxi Excel by 5’s Hop the Trail event as they earned stamps to go to Bunnyland. Volunteers assisted with springtime activities for children. Excel by 5 supports educating children during their most formative years — birth to 5 — and ensures that the community’s children will be ready to learn when they start school.
Helping The Community
WaterView Casino Hotel makes donations each month to area nonprofits. In February, General Manager Penny Bankston presented a check for $3,3330.19 to members of the Mississippi Center for Police and Sheriffs (above). And in April, Bankston presented $4,244.35 to the director of the Vicksburg Family Development Center.