Foxwoods coming to Biloxi
June 7th, 2016 at 1:59:21 PM
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BILOXI, Miss. — One of Biloxi's largest landholders is teaming up with the owner of one of the largest casinos in the world to build a casino resort in Biloxi.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, announced Tuesday its plans to develop and operate a Foxwoods-brand casino resort in Biloxi. Foxwoods is partnering with Chris Ferrara and Biloxi Boardwalks Ventures and The Hartmann Group LLC, the resort's project management company.
The resort has a tentative opening for spring 2019.
"The theme will be old Biloxi," Ferrara said, to complement Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich's vision for the city.
Foxwoods Resort Casino at Biloxi Pointe will be a $265 million destination resort and casino on a 23-acre site on Biloxi's Back Bay. It will employ several thousand people and the 781,000-square-foot complex will feature 50,000 square feet of casino space with about 1,380 slot machines and table games, a millennial gaming lounge, a 500-room hotel, theater and 71,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space. "That will be the largest convention floor on the Gulf Coast second to the Coliseum," Ferrara said, referring to a convention center in Biloxi.
It also will have six restaurants and bars, 3,300 square feet of retail, a spa, fitness center and a 10,000-square-foot bowling/shuffleboard space and outdoor entertainment attractions.
Ferrara said the resort will have many new attractions that will be announced and 95 percent of the sprawling site will be used for the convention center and casino floor.
Ferrara, president and chief executive officer of Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Louisiana, purchased 32 acres of land in Biloxi in 2002 and built the restaurant and marina. He has worked for about five years to put together an agreement to finance a casino resort.
"This is an exciting opportunity to not only expand geographic diversification for the Foxwoods brand, but also leverage our management expertise well beyond New England," said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council.
Foxwoods is a 9 million-square-foot resort owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe on its reservation land in Mashantucket, Conn.
"Biloxi Mississippi is a proven destination tourism market, with its near-perfect, year round climate, casual coastal vibe and exciting nightlife — all of which provides a perfect location to feature our world class entertainment offerings," says Felix Rappaport, president and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission gave the property on the northeast tip of Biloxi site approval in 2012. As with any casino that opens now in Mississippi, this new resort is required to have at least 300 hotel rooms, a fine dining restaurant and an attraction that will draw new tourists to South Mississippi.
Ferrara said the agreement with Foxwoods also is a great deal for Biloxi.
"I'm eager to see their final design plans they are considering to help grow the market," Gilich said. The mayor said the resort will let the city move forward and complete the "Casino Loop" that has been envisioned for years.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2016/06/louisiana_ceo_among_partners_i.html
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, announced Tuesday its plans to develop and operate a Foxwoods-brand casino resort in Biloxi. Foxwoods is partnering with Chris Ferrara and Biloxi Boardwalks Ventures and The Hartmann Group LLC, the resort's project management company.
The resort has a tentative opening for spring 2019.
"The theme will be old Biloxi," Ferrara said, to complement Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich's vision for the city.
Foxwoods Resort Casino at Biloxi Pointe will be a $265 million destination resort and casino on a 23-acre site on Biloxi's Back Bay. It will employ several thousand people and the 781,000-square-foot complex will feature 50,000 square feet of casino space with about 1,380 slot machines and table games, a millennial gaming lounge, a 500-room hotel, theater and 71,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space. "That will be the largest convention floor on the Gulf Coast second to the Coliseum," Ferrara said, referring to a convention center in Biloxi.
It also will have six restaurants and bars, 3,300 square feet of retail, a spa, fitness center and a 10,000-square-foot bowling/shuffleboard space and outdoor entertainment attractions.
Ferrara said the resort will have many new attractions that will be announced and 95 percent of the sprawling site will be used for the convention center and casino floor.
Ferrara, president and chief executive officer of Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Louisiana, purchased 32 acres of land in Biloxi in 2002 and built the restaurant and marina. He has worked for about five years to put together an agreement to finance a casino resort.
"This is an exciting opportunity to not only expand geographic diversification for the Foxwoods brand, but also leverage our management expertise well beyond New England," said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council.
Foxwoods is a 9 million-square-foot resort owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe on its reservation land in Mashantucket, Conn.
"Biloxi Mississippi is a proven destination tourism market, with its near-perfect, year round climate, casual coastal vibe and exciting nightlife — all of which provides a perfect location to feature our world class entertainment offerings," says Felix Rappaport, president and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission gave the property on the northeast tip of Biloxi site approval in 2012. As with any casino that opens now in Mississippi, this new resort is required to have at least 300 hotel rooms, a fine dining restaurant and an attraction that will draw new tourists to South Mississippi.
Ferrara said the agreement with Foxwoods also is a great deal for Biloxi.
"I'm eager to see their final design plans they are considering to help grow the market," Gilich said. The mayor said the resort will let the city move forward and complete the "Casino Loop" that has been envisioned for years.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2016/06/louisiana_ceo_among_partners_i.html
June 7th, 2016 at 6:23:30 PM
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Been a lot of big names through the years proposing a Gulf Coast Resort. Trump for one, the Choctaw tribe for another. Are the roads even paved on the back bay?
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
June 7th, 2016 at 7:53:41 PM
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Quote: DeMangoBeen a lot of big names through the years proposing a Gulf Coast Resort. Trump for one, the Choctaw tribe for another. Are the roads even paved on the back bay?
It's a mess of road construction.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
