Tishomingo County casino ?

[DruidCity]

The rumor on an Alabama message board is that this northeasternmost Mississippi county could become home to a 10-11-story casino resort on a 100-120-acre property.

Is there anything to this rumor ?

This would be the closest casino to much of the Tennessee Valley region, and potentially good economic

news for metro Florence, AL.

[tombarnes]

I've heard nothing of this....yet. I'll go do a bit of research to see what I can find. This is most interesting. I'm sure the Choctaws and the Tunica casinos aren't happy about this at all. Tishoingo County needs help.....

[tombarnes]

Well, well, well....looks like it has been out there. Here's an article from Gambling Magazine whiuch disucsses the possibility.

Gambling Magazine

"Kyle Steward, spokesman for 1st District U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker, said results of a preliminary investigation by his office indicate that any Indian-operated casino would have to be approved officially by the governor of Mississippi and the federal government and informally by Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Chief Phillip Martin. Martin, who was not available for comment Wednesday, apparently has not given his approval.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians operates a casino on its reservation near Philadelphia and has plans for another one on nearby land."

I hadn't heard that the Choctaws were planning another casino on their property, but I had heard about plans for a waterfront hotel (possibly about 600 rooms and designed roughly in the style of the Hotel del Coronado in California). More to watch!

[tombarnes]

On second thought, the article above is not dated, but I do think it's old. I found this in a 2001 issue of the Magnolia Report.

"Tishomingo Voters Say No to Casino

In the largest voter turnout for Tishomingo County since the 1992 Presidential election, residents went to the polls last Thursday to defeat a casino proposal in a non-binding straw poll. The unofficial vote of 3,923 to 3,222 was a rejection of the plan of the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians of Louisiana to build a $100 million casino in the area. Following the vote, county supervisors also rejected the proposal on a 3-2 vote. The Indians would have to negotiate a compact with Governor Musgrove who has said he opposes the casino. First Congressional District ROGER WICKER also came out against the move to bring a casino into his Northeast Mississippi District. The Jena Band will continue with their plans for a casino, but are now looking for a location in Louisiana."

Of course, this project could well have been revived. If you do find anything more on this project, please post it here.

[DruidCity]

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians operates a casino on its reservation near Philadelphia and has plans for another one on nearby land."

I'm guessing that's an old article, referring to the Golden Moon.

Current rumor thread 10378 at http://www.al.com/forums/theshoals/

According to one poster there :

"It is near Iuka on about 120 acres, close to Hwy. 72, near the Alabama state line. It is a fact."

I don't know if there's anything to it, but it does sound like an interesting possibility.