Biloxi Planning Commission Clears Path for Black Marlin Casino Development

The Biloxi Planning Commission has approved rezoning three parcels of land at US 90/Beach Boulevard and Veterans Avenue for the Black Marlin Casino, marking a significant milestone in a developer's decade-and-a-half pursuit of a gaming license in the Mississippi coastal city.

RW Development, helmed by local businessman Ray Wooldridge, partnered with Kentucky-based Encompass Develop Design and Construct to advance the proposal. The approval clears a critical hurdle: the Planning Commission reclassified the 11-acre property north of US 90 as waterfront zoning, a mandatory requirement for obtaining a casino license from the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC).

The Black Marlin would be a full-scale resort property. The plan includes a 43,800-square-foot gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, 24 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook. A 300-room hotel would accompany the casino, along with restaurants, bars, meeting and event space, and 668 parking spaces. Wooldridge is also offering to construct a $1 million handicap-accessible pier south of the casino along Veterans Avenue, positioning public waterfront access as part of the project's community benefit.

The waterfront zoning designation proved critical to this approval and reflects a legal victory Wooldridge secured in 2023. The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that Wooldridge did not need a tidelands lease from the state to construct a public pier, resolving a dispute that had delayed the project. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann had previously argued that state control of tidelands required additional permitting. With that barrier removed and the Planning Commission now confirming waterfront status, the project advances to the Biloxi City Council for review. Subsequent approval by the MGC would be required before construction could begin.

The approval also permitted RW Development to remove 28 trees on the property (25 live oaks and 3 magnolias), though the developer must offset this by planting 209 new trees or contributing to the city's tree fund. An arborist had assessed that 18 of the removed trees were in poor condition, seven in fair condition, and three in good condition.

If approved through all remaining regulatory steps, Black Marlin would become Biloxi's ninth casino and the 13th in South Mississippi. The regional market is showing continued development interest. Other proposed projects include a casino at the former Tivoli Hotel site and the Tullis Gardens Hotel & Casino, which would feature a full-scale replica of the Tullis-Toledano Manor, both properties destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Biloxi's gaming market has remained relatively concentrated since 2005, with the city maintaining single-digit casino count despite population recovery and infrastructure rebuilding. The approval of Black Marlin would mark meaningful market expansion, adding approximately 1,124 gaming positions and incremental hotel supply to a market where gaming-adjacent hospitality has been a long-term revenue driver. The project's 15-year approval timeline underscores the regulatory complexity that can characterize Gulf Coast gaming development, even in established markets with mature gaming frameworks.