The Gulf Coast region of Mississippi could reportedly soon become home to a 13th casino after Wednesday saw the southern state’s gaming regulator approve the site for the proposed Long Beach Harbor Resort.

Abandoned plot:

According to a Wednesday report from the Sun Herald newspaper and local television broadcaster, WLOX-TV, the unanimous decision from the Mississippi Gaming Commission involves an unused twelve-acre parcel of seaside land in the small city of Long Beach that was once home to a franchise of the Kmart Corporation.

Nearby competition:

The news outlets also reported that the approval process has taken the developer behind the planned casino, Long Beach Harbor Resorts LLC, around two years to complete with its now-sanctioned plot sitting near to the Long Beach Yacht Club and approximately 3.5 miles west of the existing Island View Casino in the neighboring community of Gulfport.

Funding facts:

However, the Sun Herald reported that this week’s decision from the Mississippi Gaming Commission does not mean that the developer has been cleared to start work. It explained that the regulator will now seek evidence that Long Beach Harbor Resorts LLC, which is led by businessman, James Parrish, has enough cash to build at least a 40,000 sq ft facility featuring a high-end restaurant and a 300-room hotel alongside a unique feature that will make it stand out from other such enterprises in the region.

A ‘first step of many’:

In addition, WLOX-TV cited George Bass, Mayor for Long Beach, as describing this week’s approval as ‘the first step of many to come’ subsequent to detailing that any designs for the planned Long Beach Harbor Resort must be approved by his city’s architectural review board.

Parrish to WLOX-TV…

“We’re delighted with the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s approval of the site as a legal gaming site. We look forward to moving to the next step, which is to secure funding for the project. We also look forward to working with the city of Long Beach on the architectural design of the project.”