September 16, 2015
By Mary Perez at Sun Herald
Photo by John Fitzhugh at Sun Herald
D'IBERVILLE -- The city, which has waited 23 years for its first casino, now is working with developers of Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort to get the project open as soon as possible.
"Their target day now is actually for the first week in December," Hank Rogers, community development director, told the mayor and council Tuesday night. The miniature golf course being built as part of the resort, however, many not be ready to open that soon, he said.
Inspector working full time
The city has had an inspector at the construction site full time and is setting up a process to grant temporary certificates of occupancy as each section of the hotel is complete, Rogers said. This is done at all casinos to allow them to start bringing in equipment and furniture while construction continues in other areas, he said.
The contractor's goal is to turn over the building to the owners Oct. 1, Rogers said.
The mayor and council did their part to support the casino, approving a tax-increment financing bond of up to $14 million. Mayor Rusty Quave said it could be closer to $10 million to pay for a new fire truck and a water tank near the resort. The ladder truck, the city's second, it will have a platform for fighting fires and a 100-foot reach.