Las Vegas exec applies for casino in D’Iberville

By TOM WILEMON
tewilemon@sunherald.com

BILOXI – Las Vegas casino executive Peter Simon has filed a notice of intent with the Mississippi Gaming Commission, a first step toward putting a casino in D’Iberville.

The plans call for a 52,500-square-foot casino with 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games. The 30-acre site is on the west side of Interstate 110. Simon, who was a top executive with Mandalay Resort Group before it was acquired by MGM Mirage, had plans earlier this year along with partners to put a $385 million all-slot machine casino in Pittsburgh. The group decided against that project.

The site includes the 15 acres owned by Terry Moran and Mark Seymour.

“He’s putting money in it himself,” said Seymour. “That’s a real good sign. I’ve had all kinds of screwballs wanting to grab onto it. They were just speculators. Peter is for real.”

Simon’s West D’Iberville Development LLC has bought another 15 acres north of the land owned by Moran and Seymour.

“We’ve been working with him for about a year now,” Seymour said. “At first, he was just looking at our site. Then when Hurricane Katrina hit, it changed everything.”

The Legislature changed state law to allow casinos to move ashore within 800 feet of where gambling barges could be located.

D’Iberville has been seeking a casino for more than 10 years. Developments were announced in the past, but later abandoned. The new state law and federal tax incentives for investment in hurricane-ravaged areas are spurring a new wave of casino projects along the Coast.

Source: Bilxo Sun Herald

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