Gamblers happily returned to Mississippi casinos as they reopened May 21 following Covid-19 shutdowns. The enthusiasm continued through Memorial Day and July 4, giving operators hope that the summer and remainder of the year will show positive results.
In Hancock County, Silver Slipper Casino General Manager John Ferrucci said, “People hadn’t been able to come here for nine and a half weeks so they were looking for a chance to get out of the house and come here to see us. Things have leveled off a bit, but business is still very good” despite restrictions mandated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Ferrucci said the hotel has been full on weekends. Silver Slipper owner Full House Resorts stated total casino win rose 12.3 percent despite a 15.9 percent drop in guest numbers.
Ferrucci said he’s been pleased by seeing “a lot of new faces, folks who were coming through this part of the world, maybe staying on coast for a few days and had a chance to stop by and see us. So that’s been encouraging.” Ferrucci added he expects business to “stay strong” through July and August, depending on back-to-school schedules.
One major challenge, however, is staffing, particularly in housekeeping and environmental services. “We have the same problem everybody else does, that the unemployment benefits are so rich that it’s tough to get people to return to work. But we’re getting by with what we can. We’re outsourcing some of the things we can’t staff personally and we’re getting it done,” Ferrucci said, adding guests will not notice anything different.
At Beau Rivage in Biloxi, which reopened June 1, President and Chief Operating Officer Travis Lunn said response has been “extremely positive.” He stated, “We are doing better than projected and numbers demonstrate a pent-up demand, as well as confidence in our health and safety protocols.” Besides following the MGC’s guidelines, Lunn said Beau Rivage implemented MGM Resorts’ multilayered Seven-Point Safety Plan He noted 925 of the casino’s 1,800 slots and 50 of its 82 table games currently are open.
Lunn said Beau Rivage’s charter air service and all-inclusive vacation package offers will resume July 19. Flights are scheduled on board a Boeing 737-800 Sun Country Airlines aircraft with enhanced health and safety protocols. Last year, Beau Rivage flew in more than 90,000 passengers from 90 markets. Current cities include Clearwater/St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “We continue to be the second largest carrier at Gulfport-Biloxi Airport,” Lunn said.
In the Tunica market, Tunica Convention and Visitors Bureau President and Chief Executive Officer Webster Franklin said, “We’ve been very pleased not only with the number of visitors to our six casino properties since reopening but also with the average customer spend that has been higher than pre-pandemic spending. That’s a great sign for the Tunica economy and will go a long way in assisting the overall Mississippi economic turnaround.”
Franklin said most Tunica visitors come from Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Alabama, adding, “Our market far exceeds these states with visitors having easy access to the market via Interstate 40 and Interstate 55.” He commented, “We’re back open for business but not quite back to normal yet. I’m not sure we’ll ever get back to normal but it’s good to have people back in the area to enjoy what we have here in Northwest Mississippi.”
Franklin said the market is looking forward to the return of live music and professional sports. “Once we get entertainment and sportsbooks reopened, we will begin to see another increase that will be good for the overall market,” he said.
