Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Council Chairman Joey Barbry recently announced the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana will not renew its contract with Exceptional Gaming, which has operated Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville for 14 years. The contract will expire on August 31. Paragon Assistant General Manager Chris Barbry will lead the property’s day-to-day operations and Exceptional Gaming Principal George Burkhardt will serve as interim chief executive officer.
Joey Barbry said Paragon has had increasing difficulties matching its early success, and not just due to the recession. Chris Barbry noted when Paragon opened in 1994, there were a handful of casinos in Louisiana. Today there are more than 20, including the Jena Choctaw Pines Casino, which opened in Creola last year.
“It’s a lot different. When we opened, we were one of a few. Now, everybody has a casino in their backyard. You really have to stand out to attract people. You have to offer service above and beyond what they can get somewhere else,” Chris Barbry said.
Joey Barbry noted, “For more than a decade, Exceptional Gaming has made tremendous contributions to our growth. As everyone knows, Paragon Casino Resort is the economic engine for Marksville and Avoyelles Parish.”
The largest employer in Avoyelles Parish, the resort has contributed millions of dollars to local government, schools and law enforcement under its state gaming compact requiring a percentage of gaming profits go to public purposes. However, those payments lately have decreased and in fact no payments were required this quarter.
Joey Barbry explained, “Although no quarterly public distribution will be made, we want to assure our guests, vendors and employees that we are generating sufficient funds to operate our business and provide the excellent customer service that our patrons expect.”
