Ribbon to be cut in March
At least one member of the legendary rock band KISS will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a planned casino in East Biloxi. The event will be held around the same time as their performance at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, located in the area.
The ceremony will take place outdoors at the site of the casino on March 15. The band’s rhythm guitarist and vocalist, Paul Stanley, as well as Rock & Brews CEO Michael Sullivan, will be present for the event.
There was no indication given as to whether other members of the band will also turn up. The event start time is yet to be confirmed.
The role of KISS in the project
In November 2019, KISS signed a letter of intent with the developers of the casino facility to build a new hotel and other amenities at the site. Band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have a stake in the Rock & Brews chain of hotels, restaurants, and casinos.
Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have a stake in the Rock & Brews chain
The developers have already received approval for the project from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Following the ribbon-cutting event, city permits will then be needed before getting the final go-ahead from the state gaming commission to proceed with construction.
Another significant investor is reportedly on board. All funding for the development of the gambling facility is already in place.
The casino resort plans
The casino resort will be built on the site of the former Margaritaville Casino, which closed its doors in 2014. The project will also comprise a waterfront hotel and on-site entertainment facilities. It will cost around $200m to develop, with the hotel set to house 300 rooms.
The casino will have a rock-and-roll theme throughout. While there won’t be a lot of rock memorabilia, the entire casino experience promises to be fully interactive, with ongoing special tributes planned once it is in operation.
Rock & Brews’ history
Rock & Brews was originally started up by well-known restaurant and hotel developer Michael Zislis in partnership with Dave Furano and his brother Dell. Dave is a concert tour promoter for the likes of the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.
The company is now in the process of building 22 stores as well as two casinos. One of Rock & Brews’ main focuses is creating strategic partnerships between its facilities and celebrities like Simmons and Stanley from KISS, comedian George Lopez, and sports analyst Collin Cowherd.
