D’Iberville, Mississippi’s first and Mississippi’s 12th casino, Scarlet Pearl, recently opened at 9380 Central Avenue with a bang—a colorful fireworks display. The 0 million facility features a 68,000 square foot gaming floor with 1,350 slot machines and 45 table games, plus an 18-story, 300-room hotel, including 56 suites and 10 penthouse suites, with floor-to-ceiling views of the Back Bay and Mississippi Sound. Guests can enjoy the tropical swimming pool and numerous dining options, but the key feature is Lava Links, a 36-hole miniature golf course with an “active” volcano.
Restaurants include the 24-hour Under the Oak Café featuring Southern favorites; Chopstx Noodle Bar offering grab-and-go Asian specialties; the fine-dining Scarlet Grille; and the Waterfront Buffet.
Scarlet Pearl occupies the site of the former Old Town area that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago. The casino is expected to generate $1.3 million annually for the city treasury, plus more than $1 million for local education and public safety.
City Manager Bobby Eleuterius said D’Iberville was awarded a $20,000 matching grant through Lowe’s for landscaping at the I-10/110 intersection. Eleuterius said local citizens came out to help with painting and planting. “We had a real nice turnout. We probably had about 60-70 people there,” he said, noting the Mississippi Department of Transportation has additional landscaping plans . “We want to do this throughout the city, not only for the casino but for our residents,” Eleuterius said.
State Rep. Richard Bennett, chairman of the Mississippi House Gaming Committee, said he’s concerned about the possibility of casinos in southern Alabama or western Florida. “I think they would take a slice of ours,” he said. But he doesn’t believe Scarlet Pearl will take business from other Coast casinos. Bennett said Wall Street and investors will be watching the casino to see if it attracts new visitors to South Mississippi. “The location is great. The facility is fabulous. I think it will grow the market,” he said.
The Scarlet Pearl is the first casino built since the Mississippi Gaming Commission required minimum casino resort standards of at least 300 guest rooms, a fine-dining restaurant and an amenity that will grow the market. Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Allen Godfrey said, “Obviously, gamblers are probably not large miniature golfers. We’ve got to have things for the kids to do while their parents are at conventions.” He stated Scarlet Pearl’s Lava Links might encourage visitors to stay an extra night. “That’s a good thing,” Godfrey said.
