The Beau Rivage Resort & Casino is expected to reopen in Biloxi, Miss., on Aug. 29, a year after Hurricane Katrina decimated the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Beyond giving the region a major tourism boost, Beau Rivage employs 3,800 people.
Bookings already are being accepted for headline entertainers that include:
Jay Leno (Sept. 9)
Tony Bennett (Sept. 15)
Sinbad (Sept. 29)
The Beach Boys (Oct. 6)
Kenny G (Oct. 20)
LeAnn Rimes (Nov. 4)
The resort’s new Tom Fazio-designed golf course is expected to open Nov. 6. Call 888-567-6667 or 228-386-7444; access www.beaurivage.com.
The sumptuous Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi’s most upscale gambling venue before the Big One, is set to reopen on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, USA Today reports. Sporting a makeover with a masculine color scheme and wood-beamed ceilings (but still with the floral carpet and, hopefully, the lobby’s signature fresh flowers), the resort also has new restaurants, including Olives from celebrity chef Todd English.
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino is scheduled to open August 29, with Jay Leno, Tony Bennett and Sinbad all scheduled to entertain in September. All guest rooms were redone, with upgrades including 32″ TVs. Owner MGM Grand reportedly spent $500 million refurbishing the resort after a tidal surge dstroyed most of the interior.
Source: APÂ
Grand Casino Biloxi reopens at 9 tonight!
By TOM WILEMON
tewilemon@sunherald.com
BILOXI – The long hallways, purple-patterned carpet and pot-of-gold logos are gone.
The new Grand Casino Biloxi offers direct access to its gambling floor from the third level of its parking garage. The decor is rich and warm with cherry woods and amber hues. There’s a modernist feel to the whole place, especially L.B.’s Steakhouse, where stone-clad walls and other design elements are reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright creation.
“We did not want to be a facility that looked like it was rushed or put into place just to begin operations,” said Anthony Sanfilippo, president of the central division for Harrah’s Entertainment, the casino’s parent company.
The casino reopens to the public at 9 tonight. It has more than 800 slot machines and 28 table games. The high-limits area has 75 slot machines and three blackjack tables where the bets start at $25 a hand. Karen Sock, the casino’s general manager, said the 1,500 employees are ready for whatever the night brings.
The hotel has more than 500 rooms with plasma televisions, a 16,000-square-foot spa and three restaurants. The Grand Buffet will serve food from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends. Its Asian cafe will be open 24 hours and provide take-out orders.
The menu at L.B.’s Steakhouse has favorites from before, along with new offerings like Gulf shrimp with stone-ground grits. And a 24-hour Starbucks will offer a full menu associated with the cafe. Read the rest of this entry »
