Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall has officially closed its doors after more than 30 years in Tunica.
The casino, which opened in 1994, shut down for good on Sunday. Boyd Gaming, the Las Vegas company that owns Sam’s Town, announced plans to shutter the Mississippi casino in September. The company’s decision centered on dwindling foot traffic to Tunica over the last two decades, along with increased competition elsewhere.
“This was not an easy decision for our company. However, demand throughout the northwest Mississippi market has declined significantly over the past 20 years, with several of Tunica’s original casinos closing since 2014,” representatives from Boyd Gaming told The Commercial Appeal in Memphis. “Our decision to close Sam’s Town is a result of these market conditions, and follows our best efforts to adjust the business to address lower demand.”
The casino employed up to 200 people at the time of its closure. With Sam’s Town turning off the lights, only five gaming centers remain afloat in Tunica: 1st Jackpot Casino, Fitz Tunica Casino & Hotel, Gold Strike, Hollywood Casino, and Horseshoe Casino.
North Mississippi’s gaming market continues to lag behind the Gulf Coast, which boasts a dozen casinos with more planned to be built in the near future. From January through May of this year, the north Mississippi market has totaled just over $222 million in monthly casino adjusted gross gaming revenue, while the Gulf Coast has tripled that figure, earning more than $659 million through the five-month span, according to data from the state’s gaming commission.
