The 15th annual Southern Gaming Summit opens at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi next week and this year much of the focus will be on the economy rather than the rebuilding of Mississippi’s battered casino industry. The SGS 2008 Conference starts on Wednesday 7 May with ‘Decision 2008: What’s at Stake for Gaming’ and speakers will examine the impact of the sluggish US economy, falling tax revenues and the potential new approach to gaming by a new administration following the elections.

In the afternoon on both days around 150 top gaming manufacturers and service providers will be exhibiting at SGS 2008. On Thursday 8 May a panel of gaming Wall Street analysts and financial experts will discuss issues that could impact the investment outlook for the Gulf Coast casino industry. Despite the Gulf Coast breaking gambling revenue records in 2007, recession fears are affecting the financial markets and that will make funding difficult as casino firms see their values decline.

Gaming in Mississippi and Louisiana has rebounded from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, generating nearly US$5 billion in total gaming revenue during the 12 months ending June 30, 2007, or about 16% of the total gaming revenue in commercial US casino jurisdictions. Mississippi has recovered enough to once again be the third largest commercial casino jurisdiction in the US based on gaming revenue, behind only Nevada and Atlantic City. (E-04.29.08)

© Copyright 2008 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage