Biloxi City Council Approves Black Marlin Casino Development at Veterans Avenue

The Biloxi City Council has cleared a key local hurdle for the proposed Black Marlin Casino resort, voting 5-1 to rezone seven property parcels at Beach Boulevard and Veterans Avenue.

The Biloxi City Council passed a resolution on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that rezones seven parcels of land owned by RW Development. RW Development is led by local businessman Ray Wooldridge, who amassed his wealth through Space Master International, a modular building manufacturer.

City officials greenlit Wooldridge’s rezoning request, designating the parcels north of U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard) as “waterfront” and establishing the property as a “Gaming Establishment Overlay District.” The approval also allows RW Development to remove 28 protected trees, including 25 live oaks and three magnolias.

Ahead of the council’s vote, more than two dozen community members raised objections to the live oaks being cut down. The council, however, cited an arborist’s assessment that most are in poor condition, with only three in good condition.

Gaming Commission Approved Site in 2023

With the Biloxi City Council approval, RW Development’s casino project now heads to the state, where the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) will review the latest plan and conduct background checks on the development’s key officials.

In December 2023, the MGC approved RW Development’s site for a casino, concluding that if Wooldridge built a $3 million pier at Veterans Boulevard, his property north of Beach Boulevard would satisfy state gaming law that requires gaming to occur “within 800 feet of the mean high-water line of the Mississippi Sound (Gulf of Mexico).”

“Having determined that the RW Site meets all statutory and regulatory requirements, the Executive Director recommends that the Commission grant Gaming Site Approval to RW Development,” the MGC wrote in its minutes for the Special Interim Meeting held on Dec. 21, 2023. The MGC voted unanimously in favor of the application.

The MGC approval, however, is only valid for three years, meaning the clock is ticking for RW Development to secure a gaming license before the approval expires at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2026.

If the developer fails to secure a license or obtain an MGC extension before the deadline, RW Development would be forced to restart the application process, re-securing permits from state agencies including the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

Black Marlin Casino Master Plan

RW Development is billing its casino bid as the Black Marlin Casino. The master plan calls for a 43,800-square-foot casino, a 300-room hotel, restaurant and fine dining, and 668 parking spaces.

RW Development is partnered with Encompass, a Kentucky-based firm that specializes in the design and construction of casinos. The company’s clients include Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, and Jack Entertainment.