November 10, 2015
By David Elliott at WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - The group behind a casino project in Biloxi brought its concept to the Harrison County Board of Supervisors meeting Monday morning. Biloxi Pointe Resort and Casino could be a game changer on Biloxi's east end.
Biloxi Pointe executives talked about the property and appealed to the board for a tax break on an investment they're making on a road project in the area.
The project would transform nearly 37 acres of land on the Back Bay in east Biloxi into the Biloxi Pointe Resort and Casino. The site where the old Heinz plant sits on Pine Street has already been approved by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
Biloxi Pointe would be connected to the Boardwalk Marina and would feature a 781,000-square-foot destination resort with gaming and other amenities.
"A 500-room hotel and 700,000 square feet of convention and meeting space. That would be the largest on the Coast. Second only to the Coliseum. It's all about bringing events, entertainment and meeting space to the Gulf Coast," said Chris Ferrara.
The key to success for this project is the completion of the proposed $20 million Back Bay loop that would connect existing casino properties and provide access for Biloxi Pointe.
"It would connect our property with Golden Nugget, Imperial Palace and Beau Rivage. It creates a loop around the city," according to Bill Kilduff.
The state has committed $5 million to the connector loop. Biloxi Pointe has promised to contribute $7 million as long as it’s given a tax abatement from Biloxi and Harrison County. Developers went before the Harrison County Board of Supervisors to ask for a resolution of support for the abatement.
"We were asking to parallel with Biloxi. The city has passed a council resolution to issue tax abatement. We're looking for a seven-year abatement with our $7 million for the new roadway," said Ferrara.
With a voice vote, the board agreed to grant the tax abatement.