- MGM and Caesars both originally planned to open Silver Strike Casinos in Mississippi and Missouri.
- Only one location will be opened by each company, with Mississippi getting an extra casino instead.
- The reason given for pulling out of the Springfield market was the abundance of available gaming licenses.
I’ve got some bad news if you were planning a road trip to one of the 13 Silver Strike Casino locations. There are currently no Silver Strike Casino locations—and probably won’t be for the foreseeable future.
baccarat casino oddsIf you’re wondering what in the world is going on, join the club. I had to do some digging to figure it all out myself.
The confusion stems from the fact that two big-name casino corporations initially announced plans to open 24 Silver Strike casinos.
MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment both agreed to build and operate these bustling roadside establishments as part of a lawsuit settlement concerning missed merger opportunities in Mississippi and Missouri.
Silver Strike Casino hours and menus would be mandated to some degree due to the nature of this lawsuit.
No Deposit Bonus Codes For US Players (2023) - The Best No Dep...You might be able to get away with serving Filet Mignon at one location and baloney sandwiches at another. But this setup was designed to ensure that similar casinos would compete against each other fair and square.
This explanation certainly helps me understand how these casinos would come about. But it doesn’t answer my original question.
Why aren’t there any Silver Strike Casino locations right now?
Which States Have Silver Strike Casinos?
For now, you won’t find any official Silver Strike Casino locations in any states. As I just mentioned, this was always something the attorneys get involved in, and it takes time to make the courts happy.
The next logical question is when these casinos are built, where ARE they going to be?
Best Enclave Casinos That Are a Must Visit (or Revisit)We know that MGM and Caesars were originally tasked with building 13 Silver Strike casinos each. But as of now, their respective totals have changed.
MGM is still set to build 13, but Caesars has reduced its number to 9.
Here are the cities where these casinos are slated to be built.
Caesars Silver Strike Casinos
As you can see, four Mississippi cities and three Missouri cities will be home to Caesars Silver Strike casinos.
It appears that Jackson and Vicksburg stand to benefit the most, with two new casinos appiece.
The City of Liberty in Missouri is also lucky enough to have two Caesars Silver Strike casinos heading its way. This means that Liberty residents will be able to walk to one or the other when a change of scenery is desired.
All other cities are playing home to just one Silver Strike Casino location.
Guide to NJ Online Poker - Best Sites for 2023So, which states have Silver Strike Casinos again?
Mississippi and Missouri, obviously. If you were thinking that these casinos were spreading their wings and hitting the road to your state, I’m afraid you’ve been daydreaming.
Best Casinos near Lake Geneva, WI - World's Top CasinosThese lawsuits date back to 2016 and 2017, so this situation has been going on for some time. It just isn’t very well known outside of Mississippi and Missouri.
Silver Strike Casino jobs have yet to be filled as a result of the same dilemma.
Then again, it’s possible that your state could be privy to a Silver Strike Casino one day – Provided that it encourages gambling to some degree.
Both Mississippi and Missouri are known for their “River” casinos because many of them are situated near major waterways.
Of course, most of those states don’t have oceans bordering their land, so this naming convention makes sense. Trying to label a casino on a mountaintop “Mountain” Casino wouldn’t work too well, no?
Seeing as how these states encourage legal forms of gamble, casino corporations are allowed to build establishments on their land under Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) laws.
I should note here that not all tribal casinos fall under IGRA rules. Only those operated by federal and state compacts do.
In short, you have several possibilities when it comes to brick-and-mortar casinos in the United States.
- State owned/operated.
- Indian tribal owned/operated (IGRA).
- Indian tribal owned/operated (outside of IGRA).
- Private corporation owned/state approved.
The last bullet point above is what allows for companies like MGM and Caesars to open gambling establishments in these states. Mississippi and Missouri approve of these operations, providing they meet certain requirements.
It’s plausible that these companies will be able to take the Silver Strike brand and expand into other “gambling welcome” states in the future. Of course, they’ll have their hands full getting the current locations off the ground first.
Why Are There No Silver Strike Casinos?
The reason why there are no Silver Strike Casino locations right now is that nothing opens itself. Even the Eiffel Tower needed people to build it and turn the cranks to get it moving up and down.
Slot Gardens Casino Tips That’ll Make You Rich in 2023In this case, things have taken longer than expected. This is never too uncommon in business, especially when litigation is involved.
Let’s rewind a bit to see what led us to this point.
MGM Resorts and Peninsula Gulfstream, LLC owned Gulfport Casino in Mississippi back in 2007. Caesars Entertainment packed a lawsuit on Peninsula Gulfstream for pulling out of the venture, claiming that they had done so against the terms of a management agreement.
Casinos Near Upper Michigan - Casinos Within a 250-Mile RadiusPeninsula Gulfstream counter-sued, and the two parties ended up reaching a settlement in November of 2016. You’ll find the key points below.
- MGM was awarded $15.5 million in damages for lost management fees at Gulfport Casino.
- Caesars was ordered to pay MGM $20million in lost profits.
- Caesars was also forced to pay $30million because the sale of Gulfport Casino to Hard Rock happened too soon. A non-compete clause stated that this couldn’t occur for two years.
- MGM was required to help Caesars secure 13 or more gambling licenses in Mississippi.
- MGM would also assist Caesars in obtaining 13 gambling licenses in Missouri.
- MGM was to receive 3% of gross revenue from each Mississippi casino.
- MGM would receive 2% of gross revenue from each Missouri casino.
- Each of the 26 Silvers Strike Casinos would be called “Silver Strike Casino with a trademark symbol.”
- Silver Strike Casinos would be limited to 2,500ft. And contain no full-service restaurants or hotels. (Liquor sales had to stop two hours before closing.)
- Both companies had to operate the casinos for five years before they could be transferred to another party.
- MGM and Caesars were prohibited from operating a gambling establishment within 100 miles of any Silver Strike Casino for five years after selling their interests.
Everyone signed on the dotted line and went on their way, assuming this would resolve their differences. However, things didn’t go quite as planned for either side.
MGM and Caesars both believed that there were too many Silver Strike Casinos going in. They wanted the judge to reduce the total from 26 to 18, citing concerns over cannibalization.
Ultimately, the judge denied this request on April 20, 2017. Nothing was done about the lawsuit after that, with both sides seemingly tired of fighting.
They came to a mutual decision regarding the number of casinos later on, but as you know, that’s where the road to open Silver Strike Casino locations has come to a halt.
At least MGM and Caesars found some common ground, unlike other lawsuits we’ve seen in recent memory.
No Deposit Bonus Casino Free Spins WinsI guess 24 is closer to 12 than 36, after all…
Silver Strike Casino Locations – Final Thoughts
It’s tough to say whether we’ll ever see all (or any) of the Silver Strike Casino locations come to fruition.
On one hand, both MGM and Caesars have admitted in court filings that they wish to abide by the original consent decree. This includes building/operating the 26 Silver Strike Casinos.
But on the other hand, two of these establishments have already been eliminated, with others potentially to follow.
New Online Casinos in Michigan for 2023 (Plus 5 More Coming Soon)The biggest hurdle seems to be figuring out exactly where the casinos will be located.
Caesars argues that MGM has been unable to getMississippi officials to approve the necessary zoning changes for three of the casels they are obligated to build. Thus, they want to be released from their obligation to construct all 13.
Instead, they would like to work with MGM to open only 10 Silver Strike casinos in Mississippi.
Three locations would then be turned over to Caesars, who would build and operate those particular casinos on their own.
It’s hard to blame them for wanting to limit their involvement here.
When Caesars originally settled with MGM, there was only a 5-year requirement to operate these casinos. Now, they could be locked in for nearly a decade if things go according to MGM’s plan.
Best Online Casinos in the USA for 2023 🏆✔️ Legit US Casino SitesThat’s a lot of time to devote to what Caesars perceives as a “crowded” marketplace.
Hopefully, these two sides can come to an agreement that works for everyone.
Silver Strike Casino revenue is going to be limited due to the size restrictions placed upon these establishments. Thus, they aren’t going to be overly profitable anyway.
Maybe they could try a Silver Strike Casino Texas holdem tournament or two to bring in more dough?
I’m sure the people of Mississippi and Missouri are eager to play a round or two of the best casino games within eyeight of their homes. We all are, for that matter. But none of this will happen without compromises being made on both ends.
One thing is for mention, however. When – or if – these casinos ever do open, they won’t be alone. Other brands are jumping into the fray, making the competitive landscape even more challenging.
It looks like everyone will have company on the road soon enough…even if the Silver Strikes don’t open anytime soon.
2023's Best Casino Days Promo Code Guide ��fte here CODE: **CASINO300****)**.** RTP: 97%Silver Strike Casino jobs would also be created once the locations are finalized and construction begins. I’m sure thousands of people would love to be employed at a Silver Strike Casino when all is said and done.
It seems like we’ll need to check back on this situation a year from now…and maybe even a year after that.
Patience is a virtue, especially when dealing with lawsuits and various types of political red tape. I’m sure everyone wants to see the Silver Strike Casino map fill up quickly, but that might be asking too much.
Footnotes:
- provided details on the original lawsuit and settlement.
- discussed MGM and Caesars efforts to reduce the number of Silver Strike Casinos.
Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.
His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.
