Winning the Casino Operator Europe award in London last January, Casinos Austria International (CAI) currently operates 52 land-based casinos in 17 countries and 13 shipboard casinos. Parent company Casinos Austria AG runs the 12 casinos in Austria. CAI has been reported as having a possible interest in one of the Russian gaming zones and is now said to have signed a nonbinding letter of intent with Mississippi Gaming Corp, a subsidiary of Diamondhead Casino Corp (DHCC).

The joint venture project would develop a resort casino on 50 acres at Diamondhead in Hancock County, Mississippi. Two years ago DHCC announced it would develop the site in partnership with the Trump organisation but nothing came of that proposed partnership. Plans for the Bay of St Louis location include a casino, hotel and spa, sports and entertainment facilities and a conference centre. DHCC owns 404 acres of land at Diamondhead and envisages building townhouses, an outlet mall and other amenities around the casino resort.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission has yet to comment on the joint venture as so far it has not been officially informed of the proposal. The site of the casino resort is designated a special use waterfront gaming district and is in an ideal position particularly for gamblers driving from Louisiana and Texas. According to the South Mississippi newspaper Sun Herald, in 1992 Casinos Austria loaned DHCC the money to buy the land and was repaid at 100 cents on the dollar. (E-06.24.08)

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