Plans back on track
KISS frontmen Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have entertained rock and roll fans since the early 70s. Now, they are turning their attention to the world of gambling by investing in a new casino venture in Biloxi, Mississippi.
KISS performed in Biloxi on Tuesday night as part of its End of the Road Tour. The rock band’s official Twitter page posted a video of the event at the Coast Coliseum:
In the build up to that performance, developer Tom Moore confirmed that he was still working with Simmons and Stanley, in addition to other investors, on the Rock N’ Brews Casino project. The KISS members agreed to the plan in November 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a halt to proceedings last year. Now, Moore has confirmed those plans are back on track.
they just love the heritage”
As reported by WLOX, Moore said the KISS members plan to bring “something unique” to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He explained their reasons for choosing the location. “Not only do they like what the Coast offers, especially the gaming numbers we’re seeing, they just love the heritage we have and feel they can produce more with their company here,” Moore commented.
What is the blueprint?
Along with multiple other investors, KISS frontmen Simmons and Stanley are the minds behind the Rock N’Brews brand which already has 22 restaurant locations in the US. Moore has confirmed that the cost of transforming the old Biloxi site into a Rock N’Brews casino will cost investors around $200m in total.
a different audio experience.”
In addition to a 40,000 square-foot casino, the property will feature a 3,000-seat concert venue, a world tour food hall, and a 300-room hotel. Moore has also confirmed what guests can expect from the development’s rock theme. “They will have rock legend halls and rock legend walls,” he explained. “When people come in here, they’re going to feel just a different audio experience.”
The developer has not released a timeline for the construction to begin, but he said that information will become available soon.
Gulf Coast gambling on the rise
According to the American Gaming Association, Mississippi now ranks as the nation’s fifth-largest gaming market. Like most other land-based gambling markets across the world, its casinos struggled throughout the pandemic with closures and restrictions. However, the market has seen a significant recovery so far this year, and that’s mainly thanks to casinos on the Gulf Coast.
Mississippi casino revenue exceeded $200m in August
Commenting on a radio show last month, new Mississippi Gaming Commission executive director Jay McDaniel noted the state’s strong performance. He said Mississippi casino revenue exceeded $200m in August, the majority of which came from Gulf Coast casinos. The Coast posted revenue of $124m for the month, which represented its best August in history.
Mississippi has 26 commercial casinos in total, and 12 of those are in the Gulf Coast area.
