Scarlet Pearl Biloxi

[Mr.Dawes]

There is a new casino coming to Biloxi called the Scarlet Pearl. I have not been able to find out who owns this. Does anyone know if this is part of a chain like the Boyd group or the MGM properties? I am hoping for some better VP paytables in the Biloxi area.

[alpax]

It seems to be privately operated to me from looking at the casino website. The casino website has no references to B Connected, mLife, Marquee Rewards, or Total Rewards. I am not sure if Mississippi is a gaming state where non-Native American tribes are allowed to operate.

[Vman96]

It seems to be privately operated to me from looking at the casino website. The casino website has no references to B Connected, mLife, Marquee Rewards, or Total Rewards. I am not sure if Mississippi is a gaming state where non-Native American tribes are allowed to operate.

I agree. Looks private, so comps won't be connected with anyone else. Mississippi does allow state sanctioned gaming, which this casino is a part of being approved for a license on 12/4/13. Looks nice on the website at least.

I'm a bit surprised MS added a gaming license though! But then again MO added Cape Girardeau to the ranks this decade in annoying location not that close to the interstate. 10th of 13th for April revenue at ~$5M. Boonville is even a more profitable casino...lol

[FloridaPhil]

We saw this casino under construction as we drove by a couple of weeks ago.   It's on the other side of the inland waterway and looks huge.  Our hope is that they will fill the hole left when Margaritaville closed.  Margaritaville had better video poker odds than anywhere on the Gulf Coast.  The reason for the closing was given as  a lack of a hotel facility.   My guess is the other casinos got together with the politicians and pressured them to close.The Gulf Coast really needs a decent place for video poker players.  We are so tired of being ripped off that we don't go nearly as much as we used to.  Biloxi needs to smarten up and stop acting like they are the only game in the world.

[Mr.Dawes]

We saw this casino under construction as we drove by a couple of weeks ago.   It's on the other side of the inland waterway and looks huge.  Our hope is that they will fill the hole left when Margaritaville closed.  Margaritaville had better video poker odds than anywhere on the Gulf Coast.  The reason for the closing was given as  a lack of a hotel facility.   My guess is the other casinos got together with the politicians and pressured them to close.The Gulf Coast really needs a decent place for video poker players.  We are so tired of being ripped off that we don't go nearly as much as we used to.  Biloxi needs to smarten up and stop acting like they are the only game in the world.



My thoughts exactly. I heard it was going to have the most casino square footage on the coast. When it opens I will check it out and let you know how it is. Sometimes new places will offer better paytables when they first open. I miss Margaritaville too.

[MPD001]

We saw this casino under construction as we drove by a couple of weeks ago.   It's on the other side of the inland waterway and looks huge.  Our hope is that they will fill the hole left when <span ="st"="">Margaritaville </span>closed.  Margaritaville had better video poker odds than anywhere on the Gulf Coast.  The reason for the closing was given as  a lack of a hotel facility.   My guess is the other casinos got together with the politicians and pressured them to close.The Gulf Coast really needs a decent place for video poker players.  We are so tired of being ripped off that we don't go nearly as much as we used to.  Biloxi needs to smarten up and stop acting like they are the only game in the world.

The Palace, when it was remodeled under new ownership, tried just that - attractive VP paytables (also smoke-free), to attract a particular market segment. That lasted about six months, during which time, according to my conversation with the casino manager, they got KILLED. They actually took many of their VP machines out, and the remaining ones have the usual mediocre pay tables.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast, which includes Biloxi, has instituted regulations that new development must be more than just gaming. They feel this is why Tunica is not successful. The Scarlett Pearl (actually the first casino in D'Iberville), along with a new development in Gulfport, Hemingway Resort Casino, will include hotel and other amenities. Of course, financing through completion is always at issue.   

[alpax]

KILLED as in too many people played it to a point where it did not generate enough revenue to meet operational costs + profit margin?

[Vman96]

KILLED as in too many people played it to a point where it did not generate enough revenue to meet operational costs + profit margin?

Basically. Killed as in most people don't give a **** about VP is my guess. And the ones who do like VP a lot don't make horrible mistakes like they used to. Also casino markets are pretty saturated now. VP games that are 99%+ are definitely "loss leaders" now, imo.

Tunica is a the deadest market I've ever seen for VP. Tons of idle machines wasting electricity. Slots are pretty idle too.

[FloridaPhil]

If you lower the odds enough, players will eventually get tired of being robbed and move on to somewhere or something else.  A pretty hotel or a free room is nice, but doesn't do anything for you if you keep losing your tail all the time.   Personally I'm OK with a 98% quarter video poker machine, but a 95% machine or less is ridiculous.

[notes1]

this is not unique to gambling. it is simple matter of consumer value. gasoline prices are a good example. you can look at charts, and see reduced usage as prices rise. we all remember the times of rising oil prices, when it reached about $150/barrel (now it is about $60). gas prices hit over $4/gal and people reduced driving by the billions of miles. as more casinos were built, so tribes and governments could make more money, it diluted the market. the fixed costs were high, so expense reduction alone could not save them. they decided in order to stay in business, they needed to increase their hold. consumers get smart, figure out they are not geting the value they want, so they cut back or quit. until the economy improves for the masses and/or casinos start closing down, it will be the same pattern. increase the hold, lose customers. wash, rinse, repeat.