Thursday, June 4, 1998 | 10:32 a.m.
Mississippi's 30 state-regulated casinos reported revenues of $727.9 million for January through April of 1998. That compares to $645.7 million for the same period in 1997.
Figures do not include the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Silver Star Casino & Resort in Philadelphia.
Gaming Commission executive director Paul Harvey said this summer could be the "biggest yet" for casinos in the state.
Casino have also expanded their room base. There were 8,612 rooms at casino hotels January through April, compared to 6,644 the same time last year.
Harvey said the state should also attract more international visitors.
"If the quality experience is good and diverse, why spend another $800 to go to Las Vegas or New Jersey? By and large, these people are European in approach ... they're very sophisticated and have lots of money," Harvey said.
Bill Kilduff, vice president and general manager of Isle of Capri casino in Biloxi, said Tunica and the Gulf Coast have received national coverage in several casino trade publications that will also bring gamblers to them this summer. He said more people will see Mississippi as a vacation spot this summer.
"We're starting to see a lot more out-of-state plates from Georgia and Florida. I think summer certainly will give us the opportunity to increase our revenues higher than they've ever been," Kilduff said.
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