The Four-Diamond IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi is an extraordinary
post-Katrina success story. The waterfront Biloxi Bay high-rise casino property, named the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino before the storm, was severely battered by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. In January 2007 the property re-branded as IP Casino Resort Spa after a total property renovation that upgraded the entire hotel and gaming facility, and in April 2007 it was awarded a Four-Diamond rating from AAA. Today the IP is attracting a new class of guest and building stronger regional loyalty. Proof of success is in the numbers: the 1,087-room IP is running at over 90 percent occupancy with a 300 percent higher average daily rate (ADR) since its post-Katrina renovations.
“Our owners and the entire property team worked hard to create the new IP Casino Resort Spa from the shell of the old property,” said Robert Brigham, VP of hotel operations. “Everything about the IP is upgraded from the pre-Katrina facility, and our Four-Diamond rating means we are attracting a higher-rated type of guest. With the help of a new revenue management system, our ADR is up 300% and we are running very high occupancies.” Brigham explained that prior to the IP’s upgrade and new casino revenue management technology, it frequently packed rooms with sports groups and convention business that did not bring revenue to the gaming floor. “Now we use the revolutionSMÂ [revenue management software (RM) system from The Rainmaker Group to optimize the room rate for each guest and group based on their value to all areas of the enterprise, including the casino.”
Brigham’s team maximizes IP’s profitability by leveraging the revolution system’s ability to accurately estimate the total property profitability of each guest segment by analyzing player gaming information and other data to set rates that are attractive to the most valuable segments. The system’s rate recommendations are based on historical gaming performance and include forecasted additional revenue from dining, spa and other sources.
Convention business is a booming market along the Gulf as the region continues its renaissance. “Our meeting space totals about 20,000 square feet and it is in high demand,” explained Brigham. “To ensure we accept the most valuable groups, we run every potential piece of business through a profitability analysis in Rainmaker’s group module to forecast its theoretical revenue contribution to the company. I personally approve every group we accept to maintain our standards.” Other property departments also use the Rainmaker group forecasts to set appropriate staffing levels.
The IP Casino Resort Spa is continuing to upgrade and currently expanding two of its large penthouse suites, converting one to a luxury spa massage facility. The resort’s cinema is also scheduled for a total makeover and will emerge as an elegant Asian themed restaurant. With its upscale appointments, attention to detail and Four Diamond rating it looks like good fortune will keep smiling on the beautiful IP on Biloxi Bay.
About IP Casino Resort Spa
The IP Casino Resort Spa is the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s premier one stop resort destination. Soaring 32 stories over the scenic Back Bay of Biloxi, the IP is home to over 1000 elegantly appointed hotel rooms and suites and the only restaurant in the state which takes fine dining to dramatic new heights–thirty-two, recently honored with AAA Four Diamond status as well. Guests enter IP via a marble-paneled lobby dotted with unique amenities, including Chill Ultra Lounge, the IP Infusion coffee bar, Essentials gift shop and the fantastic Brazilian restaurant, Carnaval de Brasil. Three high-energy casino floors feature a 70, 000 square foot gaming area with the newest most exciting slot games, 20X odds-on craps as well as other favorite table games, and a state-of-the-art non-smoking poker room and poker-bars on each floor. The Royal Halls provide an ideal meeting space for groups up to 1000. IP’s tantalizing Back Bay Buffet features the freshest seafood and Southern classics, along with an array of international food stations. The Highlights Sports Lounge has over 65 plasma screens so guests can catch their favorite game. High Tide Café is IP’s 24-hour full service restaurant. Quench restaurant offers fabulous food and drink while guests hang by the pool, and then becomes Q After Dark with entertainment under the stars.
It was a record-breaking year for the Coast casinos, when Hard Rock Casino opened two years later than expected, Jimmy Buffett brought Margaritaville to Biloxi, Emeril kicked it up a notch in Gulfport and new projects were measured “with a B.”
Billions have been invested in Coast casinos since the storm. The goal for this year’s state gross gaming revenue is $3 billion, and a billion-dollar casino is proposed in Biloxi that will test the 800-foot rule for onshore gambling.
At the Southern Gaming Summit in May, Gov. Haley Barbour said he doesn’t want gambling to expand beyond the current seven counties. That statement didn’t stop opponents of a proposed Choctaw casino in Jackson County from worrying when Beasley Denson was elected the new Choctaw chief in July. Denson said he would look to the will of the tribe rather than this November’s non-binding referendum in Jackson County to determine if the Choctaws will pursue a Coast casino.
When the Isle of Capri celebrated the 15th anniversary of casinos in August, Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway said the state far surpassed the original projections of six casino boats and $10 million in revenue for the state.
“We don’t have paddlewheelers. Nor do we have casinos. We have casino resorts. We have a multibillion-dollar industry.”
Casinos contributed more than $800 million in tax revenue to the state and cities in 15 years and Holloway said, “I hate to think where we would be today in this post-Katrina world were it not for the revenue and jobs created by this industry.”
Larry Gregory, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission for the past 12 years, thinks of the casinos as children he has watched grow. The state has evolved to one of the top 10 gambling markets in the country, and he’s expecting more casinos to come.
Biloxi growth
Casinos have driven the Coast’s post-Katrina economy, especially in Biloxi. Every casino in the city expanded or updated, and Hard Rock Casino, two days from opening when Katrina hit, finally got its debut.
Competition was keen for celebrity partnerships, promotions and expansions, yet cooperation among the casinos brought people back to work and moved the Coast to recovery. Players rewarded the casinos with record earnings.
Harrah’s Entertainment and singer Jimmy Buffett are partnering to build Margaritaville, with construction to begin in August. Bacaran Bay plans to break ground before the end of 2007 and summer 2008 is the target for groundbreaking at Bayview Casino Resort next to Boomtown on the Back Bay. The Broadwater property has more than 200 acres to develop and spokesman Mark Calvert said they are looking for the right joint venture or sale. A $1 billion casino is proposed on the site of the old Tivoli Hotel, but that location faces rezoning by the Biloxi City Council and having the property declared a suitable site by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
 Source: Sun Herald
BILOXI — The World Poker Tour will bring its televised high-limits poker tournament to the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Aug. 29 to Sept. 9.
The event, the first televised poker tournament on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, is one of 19 stops in Season VI of the World Poker Tournament.
“The timing is just perfect†with the tournament starting on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the attention of the country focused on the area, said Beau Rivage spokeswoman Mary Cracchiolo.
The final day of the tournament will be televised on the Game Show Network in early 2008. WPT action from Season V currently airs Wednesday nights on the Travel Channel.
The Beau Rivage Gulf Coast Poker Championship will give fans the opportunity to watch celebrity players on the coast.
Poker stars Scotty Nguyen, J.C. Tran, John Phan and Vanessa Rousso will be among those competing for an anticipated million-dollar prize purse, a diamond bracelet and a $25,500 seat in the World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio in April 2008, officials said.
Spectators can watch the action from the rail in the Magnolia Ballroom of the Beau Rivage.
About 300 players start in satellite tournaments, which run Aug. 29 through Sept. 5. The WPT tournament begins Sept. 6 and when the chip totals rise and the field is whittled down to the Final 10 on Sept. 9, the ballroom is transformed into a television set.
Ten tournaments, including a ladies’ no-limit hold ’em, are scheduled over the 12 days. The Mega Satellites WPT Havoc Sports Drink will reward the best all-around player with a $10,000 seat at Gold Strike Casino World Poker Open in Tunica.
“This is the first time we’ve ever done this on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,†said Cracchiolo.
MGM has hosted championships at MGM sister properties Mirage, Mandalay and Gold Strike in Tunica.
The CEO of WPT, Steve Lipscomb said, “The MGM Mirage properties are always successful in promoting and establishing our tournaments, and when we decided to add new four stops to Season VI, Beau Rivage was an obvious choice.â€
Source: Clarion Ledger
More Beau Rivage information can be found at Biloxi Casinos.
