Could a casino be coming to Mississippi’s capital city? Officials appear to once again be contemplating the plausibility of a gaming center being constructed in Jackson.
Back in March, legislation was introduced in the state’s House of Representatives centered around a casino opening its doors in Jackson in the near future. House Bill 1989, authored by House Ways and Means Chair Trey Lamar, served to have the Department of Finance and Administration establish a program to provide loans to assist in the development of a licensed gaming establishment in the capital’s downtown area. Though the legislation failed to make it to the floor for a vote, the idea of a casino coming to the area did not die.
In mid-December, a coalition of lawmakers tasked with refining Jackson heard from Capital City Forward Together — a group of business leaders, including former Gov. Haley Barbour, looking to give the capital a facelift. The group floated the idea of Jackson being the home of a gaming facility, contending that a casino would be the right source of entertainment to spur economic development and tourism in a city that has experienced a perpetual population decline. In 1990, Jackson had just under 200,000 residents. Today, that figure is just over 143,000, marking Jackson as the quickest-shrinking capital city in the U.S.
Despite the influx of Jacksonians seeking a new home, traffic through the capital city along Interstate 55 remains the busiest portion of a highway in Mississippi. That, paired with a growing population in Jackson suburbs such as Madison and Brandon, led the businessmen to deem a gaming center a perfect fit for an area in need of a boost.
As things stand, around 600,000 people live in the Jackson metro area. The nearest casinos to those in the region exist in Vicksburg, roughly 45 miles away, and Philadelphia, around 60 miles away. A gaming establishment in Jackson could certainly attract foot traffic from those wanting to gamble without having to make a somewhat lengthy commute.
But, a casino cannot appear in the capital overnight without legislative intervention. In order for a gaming center to be constructed in Jackson, state law must be amended. Currently, casinos in Mississippi can only be built along the Mississippi Sound or Mississippi River, unless the land is owned by Native Americans. Casinos can also be built on permanent pilings, but are not legally allowed to be further than 800 feet from the mean high-water line of those two bodies of water to avoid flood concerns.
Since no location in downtown Jackson meets the criteria, lawmakers would have to enact legislation to bend the rules to allow a portion of the city’s downtown to be a host site for the casino. While in theory, the proposal could yield positive results, Allen Godfrey, deputy executive director of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association, argues it would also open Pandora’s box if it comes to fruition.
“That’s very important to the association. A number of reasons we’re looking at are the effect it would have on other properties and the fact that rules of the game are being changed,” Godfrey said. “Where would it stop? Would it stop in Jackson if they’re allowed to get one? There are a number of other cities that would love to have the revenue source to do good things for their beautiful cities.”
Industry leaders also oppose expansion, echoing similar concerns that cities like Hattiesburg, Meridian, Tupelo, and others would vie for a casino if Jackson was able to acquire one. The primary concern is that the establishments would cannibalize one another and pull foot traffic away from gaming facilities that have been already operating for decades.
Mississippi’s upcoming legislative session is set to begin on January 7. Should lawmakers enact a bill setting up the framework for a casino to be located in downtown Jackson, a suitor would have to receive a majority vote from the three-member Mississippi Gaming Commission for the facility to open up shop.
