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Slip Along Mississippi River |
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Statewide, casinos earned a total of $259.8 million. Even though revenues dipped for river casinos, they still accounted for the larger portion of the state total. They collected $142.4 million compared to $117.4 million on the Coast. A representative of one river casino said the drop in revenue was due to several factors. "I think March was an exceptionally wet month," said Steve Marshall, marketing director for Fitzgerald's Tunica. "Certainly, that has an impact. Additionally, we had Easter in March this year as opposed to last year. We're a regional, drive-in market. About 30 to 40 percent of our market comes from the Memphis area. "A lot of our business also comes out of Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas and middle Tennessee. These gasoline prices above $2 a gallon has put a little bit of pressure on our core market. Additionally, in Oklahoma, where we get 5 to 10 percent of our market, Indian tribes have put in some fairly nice casinos. That might have had an effect." Casino revenues on the Coast rose by 7 percent. That trend is likely to continue this year when the Biloxi Hard Rock Hotel and Casino opens and the Isle of Capri brings in a new gambling barge, followed next year by the opening of the Silver Slipper Gambling Hall and Saloon in Hancock County. To see more of The Sun Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sunherald.com. Copyright (c) 2005, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected]. |