On Thursday, March 23, the developer of South Beach Casino and Resort will have a location approval hearing from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

On that note, South Mississippi may have one more competitor to officially become the 13th casino on the Coast.

However, one more South Beach Casino was proposed in 2008. Its planned location was Veterans Avenue and U.S. 90 in Biloxi and the developers had several hearings by the Mississippi Gaming Commission for location approval.

Description of the proposed casino location:

The proposed casino location at 6081 South Beach Blvd. in the Clermont Harbor and Lakeshore development in Hancock County is only 4 acres.

However, if supported by the Commission, it would become the casino’s third location approximately two miles from the beach.

The 3,93 acre site is east of the Silver Slipper Casino and next to a 98.5-acre site owned by Cure Land Co., which has received location approval but is still undeveloped.

The locations are west of Buccaneer State Park, and Kirk Ladner of Diamondhead and Russell Elliott of Bay St. Louis are seeking location approval for the aforementioned Hancock County casino-resort.

In this regard, Jay McDaniel, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, said: “They’ve met all the regulations to get on the agenda.”

Layout of the proposed casino-resort:

The proposed casino-resort will have 40,000 square meters of casino space, 25 table games, 1,100 slot machines and 6 poker tables, according to a required statutory advertisement in the Sea Coast Echo.

On that note, the Mississippi Gaming Commission believes it is necessary for all of the newest casinos on the Coast to have 300 hotel rooms, minimum 40,000 square feet of casino space, fine dining and amenities created to offer anything that will boost the local casino market.

The first step to building a casino:

This location approval hearing is just the first step toward constructing a casino at the location, according to McDaniel.

There are still steps left before the construction of the casino begins. One of these steps is to apply for a permit to continue, which is a very strict process in itself, which will require the developers to prove they have the funds to finish the casino and provide all the necessary amenities on a compact location.

South Mississippi includes 12 casinos in Harrison and Hancock counties, with few more proposed in Biloxi, D’Iberville and Long Beach.

There would be twice as much on the Coast, however, over 20 casino developers who have received location approval since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, have been unable to raise the financing to construct their casino-resorts.