Mississippi Lawmakers Defeated a Jackson Casino—Now the City Council Is Fighting Back

Mississippi lawmakers have repeatedly killed efforts to legalize gambling along the Pearl River, but Jackson city leaders aren’t walking away. The Jackson City Council is now weighing a proposal to sell 93 acres of city-owned waterfront land to local developers eyeing a future casino resort.

During the Jackson City Council’s Tuesday (Oct. 6) meeting, councilors considered an ordinance that would authorize Mayor John Horhn to negotiate an option to sell 93 acres of city-owned land located just east of Interstate 55 between Old River Place and Laurel Street. The land is bottomland hardwood acreage, low-lying, fertile land that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes as “river swamps.”

Horhn is supportive of selling the 93 acres for about $1,200 an acre to LeFleur Development LLC, a group of six local businesspeople who think they could prep the land for a casino resort that could generate $24 million a year in new city tax revenue and create thousands of jobs.

Jackson Council Weighs Casino Option

LeFleur Development wants to enter into an agreement with the city for $1,000-$2,000 a year to have the exclusive rights to purchase the 93 acres at a cost of $111,000, or $1,193 per acre. The development team would only move forward with the purchase if it’s able to convince state lawmakers to allow a casino in Jackson.

Mississippi law currently restricts commercial gambling to licensed riverboats and adjacent land-based resorts along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast. Past efforts to expand gaming to the Pearl River have repeatedly stalled—most recently in 2025, when House Bill 1879 (the “City of Jackson Revitalization Act”) advanced out of committee but ultimately failed to pass the Republican-controlled legislature.

Jackson Council Member Kenneth Stokes, while expressing support for the casino idea, raised concerns about whether the capital city could field enough support in the Legislature to be designated for gambling.

Council Member Ashby Foote pondered whether the city was undervaluing the land. If casinos were greenlit by the legislature, he thinks $1,200 an acre could be a bargain.

“If we just okayed this and sold the option and then two months from now it became worth $20 million, we would look pretty foolish,” said Foote. “The value of the land would increase dramatically.”

The Jackson City Council suspended the mayor’s request to field more details surrounding the land opportunity. The Mississippi Legislature begins its 2027 session on Jan. 5, 2027.

Jackson Economic Context

The capital city is eyeing major commercial developments to bolster its tax base. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, nearly 28% of Jackson residents live below the poverty line, while the city’s median household income sits at $42,000—roughly half the $83,730 national average.