Starting off the week with two good looking glasses from the President Casino, Biloxi.
Originally known as the Broadwater Beach Hotel and Broadwater Beach Resort, it opened in 1939 as a venue for the illegal but tacitly approved gambling that was flourishing along the coast. In the late 1950s and 1960s, the gambling stopped and the facility was renovated and re-purposed as a resort destination with a state-of-the-art marina and other amenities. In its heyday the Broadwater Beach Resort hosted movie stars, leading politicians, and top business figures as well as people on vacation. It became the Gulf Coast's flagship resort and its colorfully lit front sign was iconic.
In 1992, President Casinos gained control of the facility, and after changing the name, added a riverboat casino and barge. The casino had a successful niche following among lower-end gamblers, but the problems of the parent company resulted in bankruptcy filings in the early 2000s. In 2005, new owners closed the resort and casino shortly before Hurricane Katrina destroyed them. The property has been empty since then.
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