CANCAN CASINO
resort. We’ll get people from other properties too, thanks to that unique 100,000 square foot promenade, the village feel and look.
CI: Is there any kind of civic responsibilities as
part of the license? GT: There is nothing in place in Mississippi that
says we have to be good citizens, but we want to be the very best citizens here. We’re going to be very active with the local community; we’re the only casino in D’Iberville, so we’ll adopt the city and it will adopt us in terms of civic pride, and our employees. We have a great relationship with both the city and the state, and I expect that to only get better.
CI: Is this the first time you’ve been involved in
a project from breaking ground? Even with all of your experience in gaming, this must be full of new experiences. GT: It’s new to me in the sense that it is totally
ground-up, but early on in my gaming career I was a Director of Construction and Facilities. You start with understanding the area and who your customer can be; can we make an attraction here that people will come to? You design it so that it is going to be exciting and they will come, it will be a destination, and then work your way through the process. There’s a lot of good people on our team, though it’s not a large team yet. There are people on our team that have been involved in major developments before. We’ve got the right top-level team to do this.
CI: How much input have you had personally in
the project? GT: I got here late in 2010, the project has been in some stage of development for over 18 months. It’s been accelerated somewhat in the eight or nine
36 JULY-AUGUST 2011
months I have been on the project. Under my direction, we’re using SOSH Architects, specifically Nory Hazaveh on the project. It’s a beautiful, exciting project, unlike anything else down here in the South East of America. Not because of its size, but because of its uniqueness, this would sit well in Las Vegas.
CI: You’re quite close to a couple of large population centres – are there plans for any Atlantic-City-to-New-York-style transport links to nearby cities? GT: We’re working with the city and the state for a
transportation centre to be part of the development. It’s not finalised yet, but we’re working on it. The Gulf Coast had 10 casinos, but now they have
been rebuilt on land after the storm but they have to be within 800 feet of the water. We and they will draw currently from Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, so there’s plenty to draw from. The weather here is moderate year-round, and there are 12 golf courses built by top designers in the area too; the region is a destination in itself, it’s just been a little slow in redeveloping after the storm.
CI: When do you anticipate being open? GT: We’re hoping to build through 2012 and open perhaps in the third quarter of 2013. The pace has picked up lately, the designs have really moved along, and we’ve formed this great relationship to put the debt and equity in place, so things are happening.
CI: You mentioned 12 golf courses in the area,
and your last job was at the Mount Airy Casino – which is well known for its golf course. Is this a coincidence? GT: I love golf but I can’t say I came here for the golf or they’ll think I’m not working!
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