County OKs Pine Hills Isle plans first casino in unincorporated Harrison

GULFPORT -- The Harrison County Planning Commission voted 4-1 Thursday to approve the master plan for a 50-acre casino development off Kiln-DeLisle Road. It will cost up to $300 million to build and is expected to generate millions in state and county taxes.

The Pine Hills Isle of Capri Casino will be the first gambling complex built in an unincorporated area of Harrison County. The developer, Capri Casinos, is planning an extensive development that will stand alongside the Bay of St. Louis, border on Kiln-DeLisle Road and lie just south of Interstate 10.

The developers previously estimated completing the resort by December 2008.

"We'd like to break ground this year if at all possible," Richard Meister, vice president of construction and design for Isle of Capri Casinos, said Thursday.

Meister presented planning commissioners with artist's renderings of the complex, which will include a casino with about 94,000 square feet; a 509-room, 320 foot-high hotel tower; pool and recreation facilities; and a convention area. The company had asked the commission to designate the entire site as a C-3 resort commercial district.

"You will be able to see the top of the tower from Interstate 10," Meister said.

As impressive as some may have found it, the project did not draw unanimous commission approval. The Rev. Eddie Hartwell quietly cast the lone dissenting vote.

Thursday's approval was a second major milestone for the project. In June, the Mississippi Gaming Commission ruled the proposed location was a legal gambling site.

The casino is expected to create 1,500 jobs with a $40 million annual payroll. It could also generate $13.5 million in annual taxes for the state and $6.6 million for Harrison County.

Isle of Capri is locating the complex on 50 acres of land it is leasing for 99 years from private owners. The company has also agreed to provide fire and safety routes and build a dedicated access road from Kiln-DeLisle Road to the site.