Tunica, MS to $1.6 Billion Mega Resort

Taking advantage of new laws put in place after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, an investment group has been given the go ahead for the largest casino resort ever in Mississippi. Dubbed the Myriad Botanical Resort the $1.6 billion mega resort could transform the Tunica gaming scene, much in the way Borgata changed Atlantic City.

Myriad Entertainment & Resorts, Inc., a Delaware corporation, has been busily engineering the project since last summer and will now go ahead with the project expected to cover 540-acres along the Mississippi River. The group hopes to have the initial phase open within two years.

The resort will include the world's first fully enclosed, climate controlled championship golf course, a 1,200-room four star quality convention hotel, two 500-room casino hotels, a pair of 80,000 square foot casinos, luxury spa, 375,000 square foot convention center and meandering gardens. There will also be a water park and a separate snow park, giving people a taste of winter and summer in the same location. Myriad-Tunica has been granted development and gaming site approvals for the Tunica resort. The resort will be dominated by large, cable-supported enclosures reaching heights of over 200 feet.

Additionally, the resort will benefit from a “public improvement district” created for the area. The state will help facilitate and build water, sewer, and gas lines, as well as new roadways. The move is a substantial step forward for the country’s third largest gaming region after Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

In addition to the features listed above, the project may include an ice feature with various trails and skating rinks, a water feature with aquariums and lagoons, and a large observation wheel and ride. Additional entertainment venues such as music amphitheaters, a 10,000-seat arena with regular and premium seating options will be included as well as various thematic designs throughout the property.

The differing elements of the project will be linked by an indoor waterway transportation system. Other infrastructural needs will be supported by the state-of-the-art technology such as solar power, climate control and air-filtration technologies, as well as security and maintenance technology.

The resort also has expansion space available for the development of vacation villas along the golf course. This resort, the most ambitious resort development planned for Tunica County, would target a broad set of visitors, including casino players, families, conventions, exhibitions and trade shows (particularly botanical shows) and golf enthusiasts.
Last week, Robert M. Leahy was named the organization’s Executive Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining Myriad, Mr. Leahy served as vice president and director of Process Improvement and Reengineering for Kerzner International Resorts, Atlantis Resort and Casino. He has been brought on board to help secure financing for the project.

Myriad has also purchased Club Concepts Consulting LLC, a marketing and training firm targeting golf club developers and managers and works to develop and implement marketing, sales and training programs. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Club Concepts will operate as a division of Myriad Resorts & Entertainment and will consult with clubs and resorts outside Myriad as well as within the company.

Beth Meister, currently founder and president of Club Concepts Consulting, will lead the new Myriad division. Meister will direct the development and execution of strategies designed to retain employees, generate repeat business and increase gross revenue per occupied room.

"Our vision is to provide personalized, club-level experiences and services to all Myriad resort guests," John Meeske, CEO of Myriad Entertainment & Resorts Inc., stated in a release. "This operating protocol will serve as the foundation of the Myriad brand."

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