Page 8 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Fall, 2022

Guest Editorial
Gulfport mayor: Future of MS gaming looks bright
By Billy Hewes
This time, the measure passed. These promises and the chance for an economic boost to the region were considered to be a good wager.
Looking back, we enjoyed a modest, but exciting start, with many small operators successfully testing the waters in this new market. It didn’t take long for the larger casino
groups to recognize the potential of Mississippi’s new market — attracting both drive-in and fly-to patrons to spend a little time and money in
an area once known as “America’s Rivera.” They either bought out or edged out the competition, making significant investments in facilities
and organizational structures. Before long, thousands of people were at
work in the industry, ultimately driving new interest in our Gulf Coast market and attracting other business and industry expansions. This demand for more employees impacted competition in the workplace, and drove up wage rates and improved employee benefits
in the area. While this may have caused an increase in the cost of goods and services, the cumulative effect made it possible for workers to enjoy a better overall standard of living in a region that still enjoys an attractive standard of living.
The creativity of the casinos, along with strong oversight by regulators
not only made the casinos accessible, attractive, and safe, but also helped to mitigate many of the negative societal concerns often associated with the industry. Local and state governments benefited from the additional infusion of tax revenue, particularly in challenging economic times, and the distribution of gaming revenue for education, public safety and other community services improved the quality of life in the region.
While there have been many challenges seeking to expand the boundaries of where gaming is allowed along the waterfront, the courts have seen fit to keep the laws intact that prevent the expansion of casinos further inland. Hurricane Katrina brought about the only substantial change to the Gaming Control Act in the 30 years it has been on the books.
As Gov. Haley Barbour put it when
referring to the historic natural disaster that ravaged the Gulf Coast, “It looked like the hand of God had wiped away the coast.” He wasn’t far from the truth, and as all the casinos were required to be located on the water, they bore the brunt of the storm — many becoming displaced from their moorings and washing ashore. As rescue and recovery operations got underway, the two major goals we had as a community were
“...So, if the question is, ‘Has legalized gaming been a good deal?’... The answer is ‘You bet!’...”
to get our children back into schools and get people back to work. This was our start on the long journey back to “normalcy.” The extent of devastation we sustained prompted the calling of
a special session of the legislature to discuss, assess, and respond as to how best help South Mississippi get back on its feet.
At the time of the storm, there were more than 16,000 people employed
in the casino industry along the Coast. Even those opposed to these operations in the beginning could not ignore the displaced casino employees, and the fact that “there is dignity in work” of
any kind, and the associated economic impact. This understanding drove the consideration of changing the rules
to provide for an inland expansion of casino facilities, allowing them to build permanent structures on hard ground. While some saw this as an opportunity to make the most of a crisis and manipulate the expansion of gaming throughout the impacted counties (and perhaps throughout the state) without regard to proximity to water, cooler heads prevailed and the Gaming Control Act was modified to allow casinos to build within 800 feet of the mean high tide. Today, some entities have built anew on solid ground, while others have remained over water.
At present, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is enjoying a renaissance. The “Secret Coast” is being discovered by
We are often so busy on the Mississippi Gulf Coast pursuing new opportunities that we don’t always have time to assess how we got here, much less, consider
how the planets
must align for
us to make the
most of what
is before us.
Our region has
many built-in
advantages
that many
communities
don’t naturally
benefit from:
year-round
climate, strong work ethic, community resiliency, abundant natural resources, cultural and economic diversity, etc.
It is these characteristics that, once discovered, draw people here to, “live, work, and play.” So, naturally, when the prospect of legalized gaming started being discussed, it grabbed the attention of insiders and outsiders, alike.
When Mississippi’s Gaming Control Act was adopted by the Mississippi Legislature in 1991, it was greeted with enthusiasm and trepidation. Proponents of a new industry to our shores were ardent supporters of what could lead
to more investments and new jobs. Opponents of this industry, having heard of the potential for negative effects on individuals, families, and communities, and being dubious of our history of illegal gambling and its associated organized crime, were less enthusiastic. For
the establishment of gaming facilities along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River, a public referendum was required for approval. Amidst a
lot of fanfare and marketing activity, Hancock County granted approval, with Harrison and Jackson counties rejecting the notion. Redoubling their efforts for
a second bite at the apple in Harrison County, advocates gave assurances
that the gaming industry would be
tightly regulated, and prospective sites would be limited. Gaming development would only be considerated on existing commercial sites along the beachfront.
Billy Hewes
8 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS FALL 2022