By Capt. Dave Lear
January 24, 2013; Biloxi, Mississippi:
The Isle Casino Biloxi will soon be a sport fishing footnote. The long-time headquarters for the MGCBC will instead be rebranded as The Golden Nugget Biloxi following its recent sale. Tilman J. Fertitta, Chairman, sole owner and CEO of Landry’s Inc., parent company of the Golden Nugget Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Laughlin, Nevada, made the announcement when the acquisition was completed last November.
“We’ve been looking to extend the Golden Nugget’s footprint to Biloxi for years and we’re excited to make major changes to the property and to the South, a personal interest of mine,” Fertitta said. “The Golden Nugget transformation will rejuvenate Biloxi, much as we helped rejuvenate Downtown Las Vegas and most recently the Marina District in Atlantic City.”
The Golden Nugget Biloxi will offer 720 updated rooms and suites. Other extensive renovations will include a brand new, expanded casino floor, new bars, restaurants and stylish retail offerings. There will be a high energy Rush Lounge to complement a remodeled spa and poker room. For those guests who like to enjoy the outdoors, an innovative H20 Resort Pool and Ultra Lounge will offer all-season hot tubes and fire pits. Together these enhancements and additions will deliver an exhilarating experience unlike anything available in Biloxi.
Building on The Golden Nugget tradition of dining excellence, three of Landry’s Inc’s established signature, award-winning concept restaurants will be included in the new resort: Bubba Gump Shrimp Company; Lillie’s Asian Cuisine, traditional and modern Chinese food in a chic, contemporary ambiance; and Morton’s The Steakhouse, a world-class steakhouse.
The property has already begun its unrivaled $100 million transformation. All improvements are expected to be completed by March 2014.
“These changes are going to be fantastic,” says MGCBC Tournament Director Bobby Carter, who visited The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City in January to check out that property’s recent transformation. “If they put the same effort into Biloxi that they did in Atlantic City, this place will be simply awesome. We’ve always had the top boats, biggest fish and warm, Southern hospitality, but now with these improvements our tournament anglers are going to enjoy visiting Biloxi even more.”
The 2013 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic is slated for June 2 to 9 at The Golden Nugget Biloxi. Tournament officials have some new exciting changes on tap for this year’s event, so be sure to check the web site often for the latest announcements.
