The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Resort in Biloxi will be the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s thirteenth casino when it opens next to the Beau Rivage, which has been the ‘new boy on the block’ since 1999. The Hard Rock Casino was given the go-ahead from the Mississippi Gaming Commission on January 21, 2004, having earlier gained all other necessary approvals. Scheduled to open later this year, June 13 saw the start of a three-day employment fair at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi.

The Hard Rock development is expected to bring around $40 million to the local economy in jobs and taxes, and there were plenty of prospective employees lining up before the 11 am opening of the first day of the fair. Some 2,300 applicants arrived for the 1,500 jobs at ‘Opportunity Rocks’ and more are expected on days 2 and 3. According to developer Premier Entertainment Biloxi LLC, which has a twenty-year licensing agreement with Hard Rock Hotel Licensing Inc., employees will “work where self-expression is required and individualism is encouraged.” Rock music was played as people queued, from groups such as Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones and Aerosmith.

It is hoped that the Hard Rock will broaden the tourist appeal of Biloxi with its younger image. Marketing will concentrate on the cities with air links to Biloxi, such as Houston, Dallas and Atlanta, and the Gulf Coast area from Pensacola to New Orleans.

The $235 million project on the site of the former Gold Shore Casino, includes an 11-storey hotel with 306 luxury guest rooms, four restaurants, a Hard Rock themed beach pool, a nightclub at the top of the hotel and a 1,500 seat Hard Rock Live music venue with state-of-the-art sound and video equipment. The building will have colour-changing lighting effects at night. There is also 50,000 sq ft of gaming space for 1,500 slot machines and 50 gaming tables, on an 85,000 sq ft barge that will be supported by its roof structure instead of columns, a design that allows for a more efficient use of space. (E-06.14.05)

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