Casino Row — Beau Rivage & the Entertainment Strip

Mississippi legalized dockside casino gambling in 1992. The coast that Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville found difficult to settle in 1699 — where crops died, fresh water ran short, Fort Maurepas was abandoned by 1702 — became a place people wanted to be. By 2005, twelve casino resorts made the Mississippi Gulf Coast the third-largest casino market in the U.S. Hurricane Katrina destroyed every casino in 2005. The state allowed land-based construction within 800 feet of the shoreline. The casinos rebuilt. Twelve resorts now line the coast — Beau Rivage, Hard Rock, Golden Nugget, IP, and others. They are the coast's largest employers and most visible architecture. Casino theaters host national touring acts year-round in venues seating 1,000–2,000. Check individual casino websites for show schedules and dining. The coast that remained a frontier after statehood in 1817, where only 2.5% of Mississippi's population lived, is now where the state built its draw.