Page 28 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2022

PEOPLE
A CELEBRATION
OF GAMING
Southern Gaming Summit 2022
story by David Grisham photos by Leo Ridge, Lori Beth Susman and Brian Pearse
28 | June 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Ray Neilsen, accepting the honor for Craig H. Neilson; Allan B. Solomon; Virginia McDowell; John Hairston; and Tom Jingoli, accepting the honor for Kagemasa Kozuki.
Gaming industry executives from across the country converged on Biloxi in May for the Southern Gaming Summit (SGS), a four-day
event at MGM’s Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Owned by the Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association (MGHA), SGS is one of the longest running gaming industry trade shows in the country and, like casinos in Mississippi, it continues to thrive.
Larry Gregory, MGHA executive director, said this year’s event was one for the record books. “The 2022 SGS was outstanding,” said Gregory. “We experienced record breaking numbers that made
this year’s summit a success. Thanks to all of our operators, sponsors, attendees and the planning committee for making it a year to remember.”
SGS 2022 began with a golf tournament at MGM Resort’s Fallen Oak Golf Course and was followed by a welcome reception that evening on the deck
at the pool area overlooking the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Summit attendees were able to network, hear from industry leaders and participate in an extensive six-session conference program. The highlight of SGS 2022 was the induction of this year’s class of gaming notables into the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame.