Mississippi House Committee Reviews Proposal for Jackson Casino

A proposal calling for the development of a casino in Mississippi’s capital city, Jackson, seeks to revitalize the city and contribute to its future growth.

Jackson May Benefit from a New Casino

The new proposal was recently reviewed by a Mississippi House committee, as announced by WLBT. Per the new casino proposal, supported by a group of five businessmen, including the former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the development of such an establishment is expected to bring economic stimulus to the city, creating jobs and generating tax revenue. The group of supporters is called the Capital City Forward Together.

The proposal, which is yet to pick up speed, is calling for the establishment of a casino approximately a mile away from the State Capitol. One of the members of the Capital City Forward Together team, William Richardson, spoke about the importance of the location of the new casino. He explained that the group hasn’t proposed a specific site, adding that they are not qualified to do so, and a casino operator would make a better judgment in that case.

Richardson explained: “A casino company that’s paying the bill, they’re going to look at what their costs are.” Still, he said that the group recommends the new casino in Jackson be developed close to the capitol so it can create new jobs and bring more people to the city.

“We are recommending a mile or so of the capitol that brings the jobs, that brings the people. It restores the core of our city.“

William Richardson, member of the Capital City Forward Together group

No State Investment Is Required

Importantly, the group supporting the proposal for the development of a casino asked lawmakers not to invest state money in the project. Referring to the gambling sector, Richardson said: “You don’t need to invest in it. They got the money.”

If the proposal, in its current form, is approved, a potential casino developer would be subjected to an annual fee of $10 million, recognized as an “impact fee,” in the proposal. This payment, according to Richardson, would help “fund additional growth,” benefitting the city even further.

For the moment, the proposal is yet to pick up speed. Legislators are likely to review it as early as next month when the new session is scheduled to begin.

While the casino may benefit Jackson, opponents are likely to voice their concerns too. Local communities usually dislike casino establishments citing increased traffic and potential for crimes such as robberies.