Pearl River Resort is a gaming resort located in Choctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by the federally recognized Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The resort includes two casinos, Silver Star Hotel & Casino and Golden Moon Hotel & Casino; a Dancing Rabbit Inn near the casinos; Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, an award-winning golf course designed by Jerry Pate; Geyser Falls Water Theme Park; and a spa.^[1]

1. Pearl River Resort and Casino – Philadelphia, Mississippi Weekend of May 1-2-3rd, 2020 (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) - Must be 21 or older capable of motor coach travel and overnight travel - Notice to all: Pearl River imposes a $250 fine to any guest found smoking in a non-smoking room.
2. 🇺🇸Pearl River Resort salutes those who have served or are currently serving in the military. Veterans and Active Military will receive a complimentary food voucher to dine at Bistro24 or Stats Sports Bar & Grill on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, from 11 a.m.

These casinos are the only Native American gaming facilities in the state of Mississippi, as the Mississippi Choctaw are the only federally recognized tribe in the state. When approved for opening in 2000, these were the only casinos in the state approved for land-based structures. At the time, by state law other gaming activity was limited to riverboats or floating structures on the rivers or Gulf Coast. In the aftermath of extensive damage to waterfront gaming on the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the state legislature changed some of its rules related to private gaming facilities.

History[edit]

The first casino, Silver Star, opened in 1994 on tribal lands near Philadelphia, Mississippi. The tribe had the Golden Moon constructed directly across the road in 2002. Golden Moon features a curving hotel structure that rises to a globe-shaped top. The Mississippi Choctaw are the only federally recognized tribe in the state and thus the only tribe authorized to operate a gaming facility on its reservation lands.

In reaction to a downturn in the economy, in January 2009 Tribal Chief Beasley Denson announced that the Golden Moon would reduce its hours, to operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. The tribe laid off 570 workers, none of whom was a tribal member.^[2] In addition to the recession affecting its business, the facility had to compete with a new gaming facility in Alabama developed by the federally recognized Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

The Mississippi Choctaw invested some $71 million in renovations to the casino and hotel to increase its appeal. After reopening the Golden Moon in January 2015, the tribe said that it employed some 2400 to 3000 workers in total at its facilities, the majority of whom are tribal members. Their hiring increases to satisfy seasonal demand in the busy summer months. The number of visitors increases with people drawn to the resort water park and to play golf.^[3]

References[edit]

Pearl River Resort is a gaming resort located in Choctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by the federally recognized Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

1. ^Pearl River Resort official web site
2. ^Brown, Timothy (2009-01-05). 'Choctaws cut 570 jobs, partial shutdown of casino'. Associated Press (via the Sun Herald, Biloxi, Mississippi.^{[dead link]}
3. ^'Choctaws reopen second casino'. Clarion Ledger. Associated Press. 2015-01-31.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 32°46′20″N89°12′23″W / 32.772337°N 89.206409°W

Most Mississippi casinos plan to reopen Thursday morning, after receiving the go-ahead from the state Gaming Commission last week. Others will open next week or on June 1.

The reopenings will come more than two months since the casinos were ordered shut down by the commission on March 17 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Guidelines are in place from the commission and the state Department of Health for these casinos to follow, including limiting guest capacity to 50%, asking patrons to not enter if they’ve had COVID-19 symptoms, spacing out slot machines and limiting the number of guests per table game.

More: Casinos across the state prepare to reopen starting Thursday

Here are a couple more differences guests will see this Memorial Day weekend.

What to know about Mississippi casinos:

• VIP lounges will remain closed.
• Three-chair/guest maximum per table game. Table corners and middle seat shall remain at each table. all other seats shall be removed.
• Three-player maximum on each side of the dice table.
• Poker rooms will remain closed until further notice.
• Slot machines will be turned off and/or reconfigured with chairs removed to allow for a minimum of 6 feet separation between guests.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has updated information on casinos in the Tunica area.

Here are the timelines for the rest of the casino reopenings across the state:

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi

Reopening: Time to be announced. Monday, June 1

Boomtown Casino, Biloxi

Reopening: 10 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Golden Nugget, Biloxi

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Biloxi

Reopening: Time to be announced.Thursday, May 21

Harrah's Gulf Coast, Biloxi

Reopening: 8 a.m.Thursday, May 21

IP Casino Resort Spa, Biloxi

Reopening: 11 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Palace Casino Resort, Biloxi

Reopening: 10 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel, Biloxi

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Island View Casino Resort, Gulfport

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, D'Iberville

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Hollywood Casino & Resort Gulf Coast, Bay St. Louis

Reopening: Noon Thursday, May 21

Silver Slipper Casino Hotel, Bay St. Louis

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Greenville

Harlow's Casino Resort & Spa

Reopening: Thursday, May 21

Trop Casino Greenville

Reopening: Thursday, May 21

Natchez

Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Vicksburg

Ameristar Casino Hotel

Reopening: 11 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Lady Luck Casino

Pearl River Casino Philadelphia Mississippi Phone Number

Reopening: Thursday, May 21

Riverwalk Casino Hotel

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Waterview Casino & Hotel

Reopening: 8 a.m. Thursday, May 21

Contact Justin Vicory at 769-572-1418 or jvicory@gannett.com. Follow @justinvicory on Twitter.

Is Pearl River Casino Open In Philadelphia Mississippi

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What Mississippi casinos are reopening? Here's the list.