Page 4 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Fall, 2022

Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association
MS regulatory approach creates successful market
Official Newsmagazine of the Mississippi Gaming Industry
FALL 2022 Volume XIX Issue 3
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
READER SERVICES
Subscriptions
For information on subscribing to Mississippi Gaming News,
a quarterly publication,
email loribeth@m2mediacorp.com.
Mississippi Gaming News
Phone: (228) 385-7707 Fax: (228) 385-7705 12268 Intraplex Parkway, Gulfport, MS 39503
Change of Address
Phone: (228) 385-7707 loribeth@m2mediacorp.com
The U.S. Postal Service does not automatically forward magazines. You don’t want to miss a single issue.
Copyright, 2022
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 Larry Gregory
In 1996 it was wheels down as I landed right into gaming in the state of Mississippi. I had no idea what to expect. My first job
was to serve
as the chief of
staff to Gen.
Paul Harvey, the
first executive
director of the
Mississippi
Gaming
Commission.
Looking back,
that was the
best move of
my career.
Over the years,
I have seen this industry develop from riverboats to land-based operations and have observed how much we give back to our communities and state.
My office has photos of that day on August 1, 1992, where thousands of locals and visitors stood in line to enter the Isle of Capri riverboat casino in Biloxi. I was an observer that day, too. Who could ever forget that famous photo of State Sen. Tommy Gollott throwing the dice to open up gambling in the state? He worked diligently to pass legislation
to allow casino gambling in Mississippi. I am proud that our industry inducted Sen. Gollott into the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame in 2018 for his efforts.
Opening the casinos in the early days was fun. I still have the bucket of sand from the Beau Rivage opening. We were making history with each opening. Over the next few years, we had more than just casinos. Our state was becoming
a full-fledged resort destination. We offered golf, spas, entertainment, and world-class restaurants. We saw visitors like we have never seen before. As in life, there are also not so good times, such as the Great Recession of 2008. We’ve had to deal with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, the worst oil spill in
U.S. history, and Mother Nature sent
the Mississippi River flood of 2011, one
of the worst floods of the last century. The biggest regional challenge of all was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. The leadership provided
Larry Gregory wearing his Splash Casino hat.
by the state and our industry helped us recover from this catastrophic event by going to land-based development. Our Gulf Coast has never looked back, and we can
give credit of today’s success to reinvesting in the market.
Mississippi’s gaming industry continues to serve as an economic engine for driving Mississippi’s economy while also driving tourism. Our industry continues to evolve.
We should also be thankful to have come through one of the most disruptive periods in business that I
can remember. It began in 2019 as we dealt with a worldwide pandemic. Once again, our industry quickly responded and the result has been success. Looking back at 2021, we have seen record breaking numbers in our gaming jurisdictions. Mississippi continues to have a stronghold on being a leader in the southeast.
We are so proud of reaching the 30-year anniversary. While it is wise to reflect on what we have accomplished, it is just as important to look at the future. Our industry is always evolving and we must stay current and fresh to be competitive. Today, there are more states that offer casinos.
We must always have a fair regulatory environment. Let us never forget
that it was the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s firm but fair regulatory approach that created one of the most successful markets in the country.
The gaming industry’s strong support and care of their communities will continue to be the key to success for our future. We hope the “Mississippi Miracle” will be here for the next 30 years.
Larry Gregory is the executive director of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association. He can be reached at lgregory@msgaming.org.
4 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS FALL 2022