BILOXI — For the first time in more than a year, Coast casino revenue topped $100 million in August — and for the first time since 1994, revenue was higher in South Mississippi than at the river casinos.
The 11 Coast casinos won $101.3 million in August, a 5.6 % increase over August 2009.
Winnings at the 19 river casinos totaled $100.7 million, a 7.9 % dip from August 2009.
Economists had feared the Gulf oil spill would send Coast casino revenue tumbling when tourists stayed away from the beaches.
“The good news is the casinos held their own through this,” said David Butler, director of the International Development doctoral program at University of Southern Mississippi. He said that showed a disconnect for consumers between the casinos and the sand and seafood.