Biloxi's Boats Aren't Just for Shrimping, They've Also Been Riverboat Casinos!

Biloxi’s history has many chapters devoted to gambling. One of the earliest written records of gambling in this area can be found in French journals. One such finding was in the journal of French missionary priest Father Paul Du Ru. In 1700, he noted that Native Americans were “great gamblers” and the gifts they received were often used as bets. Many early French sellers were also gamblers. Through journal entries, we learn that they were especially fond of betting at card games.

The Vote

In 1989, Mississippi lawmakers approved gambling on cruise ships as long as they were inside the international waters' boundaries. One year later, the Mississippi Gaming Control Act passed, stating that casino gambling was permitted for 24 hours a day in moored floating casinos along the Mississippi River and along the Gulf Coast.

In December 1990, Harrison county voters went to the polls to vote on dockside gambling. It failed by about 1,000 votes. The item came up again on March 10, 1992. This time dockside gambling won with 24,282 votes for vs. 18,018 against, thus a 57% victory. A sign along the Taurus Steak House on Hwy. 90 showed: “March 10: V-Day,” and a victory it was!

Floating Casinos

Legalized gaming arrived in 1992 when the first three riverboat casinos cruised into town. Thousands of people lined up in the boiling August sun to enter one of the gambling boats. Legal gaming quickly resuscitated the stagnant Biloxi tourism industry and brought in new development, visitors and even more residents. 

Isle of Capri

In July 1992, two twin paddle wheel boats voyaged down the Mississippi River from Fort Madison, Iowa: "Emerald Lady" and "Diamond Lady". They were built in Jacksonville, Florida in 1991 and were each 201 feet in length and three-stories tall. A fleet of about 25 boats greeted these vessels along with hundreds of spectators. Their arrival was so impressive that Billy Creel, their marketing manager, was quoted as saying, “It looked like the Blessing of the Fleet out there.”

The vessels docked in Biloxi and were connected by a two-story floating pavilion and required a certified boat captain to remain on staff in the event of a hurricane threat. Together, they comprised the Isle of Capri Casino. The new legalized gambling venue opened on August 1, 1992 with 600 slot machines, craps, blackjack, poker, baccarat, and pai gow. It was estimated that about 8,000 people entered those boats within 16 hours of opening. Security services were provided by the Port Commission to keep order.

Appropriately, the Isle of Capri Casino was named after a previous gambling venue: Isle of Caprice. The island-based casino resort formally opened on May 30, 1926 and existed on Dog Key Island which was located between Ship and Horn islands, about 10 miles south of Biloxi.

The resort, opened by Walter Henry "Skeet" Hunt, greeted tourists by way of passenger boats like the Pan American and provided big-band entertainment and gambling. After years of natural erosion, the isle disappeared beneath the water. Even though that island and all its fun is long gone, it's one of the fascinating segments attached to Biloxi’s unique casino history.

According to an old Native American legend, this island will once again resurface. 

President Casino

About six miles to the west of the Isle of Capri, Biloxi’s second riverboat casino, the President Casino, opened on Thursday, August 13, 1992 at the Broadwater Marina. The riverboat was 292 feet in length and 66 feet wide. It was built at a cost of $17M and featured three decks with 480 slot and video poker machines and 42 game tables. Its capacity was set at 1,000 visitors at a time. 

Biloxi Belle

Modeled aver a graceful paddlewheel steamboat, the Biloxi Belle opened August 25, 1992 at 857 Beach Blvd. advertising 40 gaming tables slots, blackjack, roulette, poker, Texas hold em, and video poker. They also offered guests a Lucky Belle players club card and an amazing seafood restaurant.

Casino Row

In early 1993, the Biloxi dictionary added a new word: Casino Row. Who first uttered this perfect descriptive for the southeast tip of Biloxi’s peninsula is still a mystery, but ideally, the Biloxi Planning Department must have initialed this new term based on the number of new and upcoming casino projects they were reviewing at that time. Cannery Row, Biloxi’s seafood factories neighborhood, was officially transformed into Casino Row, a term still sometimes heard today. 

The Neighborhood

It is interesting to note that the concept of a gambling venue wasn't new to the cannery row neighborhood. Across the street from the now famed casino row was the renowned Tullis-Toledano Manor.

This structure was built in the mid-1800s and was known as the "Green Oaks Hotel". During its beginnings, guests came from everywhere by boat, stopping at the wharf located just across the street and owned by the Pradat family. In those days, gambling was legal and the hotel was a gambling venue. It is written that Union officers from Ship Island during the Civil War would frequent this gaming facility. This place was way ahead of its time. Who knew then what lied ahead for this neighborhood? For $10 a week, gamblers were guaranteed not only a place to stay, but also bands and fireworks displays, just like the casinos of today.

The Tullis-Toledano Manor is remembered for other historical snippets. In its basement, there was rumored to be gold coins in concrete chunks. The Famous Counselor Oak tree was adjacent to the Manor, named so because it was rumored to be the meeting place for Native American chiefs to conduct negotiations. Sadly, both the historical structure as well as its memorable tree were squashed in August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina sent a casino barge in that direction, flattening both.

Katrina's Changes

Soon after the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, leaders went right to work to establish how casinos could reopen. The dockside gaming regulations were edited and casino gaming establishments were able to reopen 800 feet from the mean (average) high water line. Biloxi’s casino Katrina recovery efforts began right away.

Katrina Casino Trivia

The first casino to reopen after Hurricane Katrina was the IP (aka Imperial Palace) Casino. On December 22, 2005, it reopened with 1,900 slot machines and 52 gaming tables. On opening day then Mayor A. J. Holloway welcomed the grand event with “Let the good times roll!"

On December 26, 2005, the Isle of Capri Casino reopened with 728 slot machines, 29 table games, and 9 poker tables. It made history again, since it was the first to move onto land with the new regulations in place.

The Palace Casino proudly opened on December 30, 2005 with 826 slot machines and 14 tables. Its 236-room hotel was completely booked.

Today, Biloxi currently has numerous casinos all along the coastline. Check out the City’s  website to learn more about Biloxi's casinos!

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