Page 118 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2016

LEISURE cheeseburger in paradise
Over the past few months, the Coast has been abuzz with excitement surrounding the opening of the new
Margaritaville Resort Biloxi. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, residents and tourists alike have been appealing for new family-friendly attractions
to replace those that were lost in the storm.
“This is something the market really needed,” said Cono Caranna, developer at Lodging & Leisure Investment and representative of Barrington Development. “After Katrina, so much growth and
rebuilding was focused on gaming rather than family entertainment. So many family-friendly attractions such as Wet Willy’s and Slippery Sam’s were gone, and they never came back.”
The new Margaritaville tropical resort aims to fill that void by renovating what had previously been Casino Magic, located on Highway 90 at Point Cadet. Though the resort was built from the remnants of a casino, the
new Margaritaville is geared towards family fun and does not include a casino floor. The theme of the resort is inspired by the life and lyrics of Jimmy Buffett, the Pascagoula-born musician whose company is the licensing agent. Though the Coast is no stranger to Margaritaville-themed attractions, the
new resort is owned and operated by Barrington Development, the company responsible for restoring the White House Hotel. Margaritaville Resort Biloxi features 373 guest rooms and 83 suites, many of which have options for private waterfront balconies.
The resort offers guests a true islander experience with a variety
of dining and entertainment options including a Margaritaville Restaurant; LandShark Bar & Grill; 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar; Sweet Shack Ice Cream Shop with Dippin’ Dots and fresh fruit purees with candy toppings; Doe’s Eat Place, a James Beard awarded steakhouse known for their daily hand cut porterhouse steaks
and their signature world famous
hot tamales; and The Lost Key Bar,
118 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • August 2016
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story by Kelsey Sunderman
photos courtesy of Margaritaville Resort
Bringing family fun to the Coast