Casino news source: Sun Herald - http://www.sunherald.com
Miss. casino gross revenue at $241M in April
The Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. --Mississippi's gross gaming revenues were $241.8 million in April, down about $22 million from March but up about $49 million from a year ago.
The gross earnings figure represents revenue with no operating costs or other expenses deducted. And it's casino revenue only - separate from hotel, restaurant or bar revenues generated by the resorts.
In April 2006, gross revenue totaled $194.5 million with $221.8 million recorded in April 2005, according to Mississippi State Tax Commission records.
The Tax Commission tracks gaming revenue by calendar year.
Gaming tax collections are tracked on the state's fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to the next June 30. Tax collections in April totaled $28.3 million compared to $29.7 million in March and $23 million a year ago.
Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 destroyed casinos along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Many of those casinos have reopened.
In April, casinos along the Mississippi coast earned $107.5 million, up from the post-Katrina level of $59.5 million in April 2006 when only a handful of casinos were back in operation. Figures exceeded the pre-hurricane April 2005 earnings of $100.9 million and $100.7 million in April 2004.
Along the Mississippi River, casinos reported gross revenue of $134.2 million, compared with $146.4 million in March and $134.9 million a year ago. The river casinos had earnings of $120.9 million in April 2005. |
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