Page 13 - MGHA Annual Report, 2024

Penny Bankston, MGHA Chair
“Another year in the books! Mississippi’s gaming industry continues going strong. Even after 30 years, we keep attracting visitors and making big impacts statewide. Our secret sauce? Evolving with the
times while keeping that Southern hospitality visitors know and love. As we move into 2024, we’ll keep offering great jobs, reinventing ourselves, and driving tourism numbers across Mississippi. I’m feeling good about the future. Our resilience and community spirit give me confidence we will keep casinos vibrant for decades to come. We welcome fresh ideas to make next year even better. While we can always improve, let us celebrate all we achieved in 2023 due to the hard work and dedication of the people
involved in this industry. The future remains bright and filled with potential.”
Toni Burns, MGHA Vice Chair
~ Penny Bankston, vice president and general manager WaterView Casino Hotel, Vicksburg
“While our industry faces some economic headwinds and lingering inflation, I remain confident in
the future of Mississippi’s gaming industry. Our shared dedication to delivering exceptional service and memorable entertainment experiences, as well as our embrace of new innovations, will continue attracting guests to our casino resorts and allow us to keep generating significant benefits for the entire Mississippi economy.”
~ Toni Burns, vice president and general manager Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, Tunica
“2023 was a great year for our industry! Our industry continues to face new challenges with the ongoing expansion of gaming around the country, both in terms of new brick-and-mortar casinos and various forms of online gaming spreading across the states. We studied online sports betting, but our focus continues to be on the quality of the casino resorts, offering exceptional customer service, high quality hotel rooms and food offerings, increasing flights to our area, as well as marketing the many amenities and special events offered across Mississippi throughout the year. We are so fortunate to be part of this tremendous industry supporting both the local economies and the overall state economy. We are looking forward to a great year in 2024!”
~ Mike Bruffey, vice president/general counsel Island View & Beach View Casino Resorts, Gulfport
“We continue to be upbeat concerning the future of gaming here in Mississippi as conditions steadily improve across the state. Moreover, capital investment projects being made by our casino operators will provide a major boost to the economy and stimulate job growth and opportunities for the industry. In spite of this very positive news, workforce woes present a unique challenge when it comes to workforce management. As operators look for effective means of attracting and retaining talent, it is becoming more and more important that we look toward integrating technology and automation as a means of managing this crisis. With that being said, the future remains bright for Mississippi and the industry as a whole.”
~ Roscoe Greene, president and general manager Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, Greenville
Mike Bruffey, MGHA Treasurer
Roscoe Greene, MGHA Secretary
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STATE OF THE
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