The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, operators of Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut are partnering with Biloxi Boardwalk Venture, LLC, Chris Ferrara-Sponsor and the Hartmann Group, LLC to build the Foxwoods Resort Casino at Biloxi Pointe in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The project, estimated to be $265 million, will be on a 37-acre site of a former Heinz plant. It will have a 50,000 square foot casino, a 500-room hotel, six restaurants, retail shops, a concert venue and a spa. The tribe is aiming to open the facility in 2019.
According to Rodney Butler, chairman of the tribal council, the tribe has been looking to diversify into another region for some time now.
He told Indian Country Today that the tribe has made several attempts to open in an a new area. “If it hadn’t been for the challenging economic times and the collapse of financial markets around the world in 2008, those projects would have moved forward. So it’s exciting that it is actually coming to fruition after a lot of effort over the years—the ability to leverage our brand and our management expertise well beyond New England in a market where we think that we can have a real impact.”
He concedes that with 13 casinos along the Mississippi coast, including eight in Biloxi, that the tribe will be entering a highly competitive market. “Biloxi is a strongly competitive market where we think that our brand can add some value. But we will have to operate accordingly. It’s all about programming and developing something that fits the market, as opposed to overinvesting in any given market.”
Millennials will be the key demographic that the tribe will target. Finding ways to engage a demographic group identified as moneymaking adults who are frugal with a famously low interest in gaming will be challenging, Butler admits.
He said, “Like everyone else, Millennials want to have a good time and get value for the time and money they’re spending, and be entertained. The concept down in Biloxi will be similar to what we are doing in Connecticut, where we have expanded well beyond gaming in providing entertainment opportunities.”
One important component to reaching Millennials will be through online social-gaming platform, such as the recently reintroduced FoxPlay.
“It’s much more interactive and creates exposure to our brand here at Foxwoods. We find it brings people into our physical property, as well,” he told Indian Country Today.
FoxPlay doesn’t use real more, but offers prizes, such as stays at a resort hotel, a free show or dinner.
The new casino will be built in the Back Bay of Biloxi, about a mile from the city’s main thoroughfare.
