Pearl River Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pearl River Resort |
|
|---|---|
| Address | Highway 16 West Choctaw, Mississippi 39350 |
| No. of rooms | 1,074 |
| Signature attractions | Dancing Rabbit Golf Club Geyser Falls Water Theme Park Clearwater Key |
| Casino type | Land |
| Owner | Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians |
The Pearl River Resort is a fun place to visit in Choctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi. It's owned and run by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. This is a Native American tribe that is officially recognized by the U.S. government.
The resort has two main parts: the Silver Star Hotel & Casino and the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino. It also has the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, which is a famous golf course. For water fun, there's the Geyser Falls Water Theme Park. You can also relax at the spa.
These casinos are special because they are the only ones in Mississippi run by a Native American tribe. The Mississippi Choctaw are the only federally recognized tribe in the state. When they first opened in 2000, these were also the only casinos in Mississippi built on land. Most other casinos at that time had to be on riverboats or floating structures. After Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in 2005, the state changed some of its rules for casinos.
Resort History
The first casino, called Silver Star, opened in 1994. It was built on the tribe's land near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Later, in 2002, the tribe built the Golden Moon casino right across the road. The Golden Moon hotel has a cool curved shape with a globe-like top.
The Mississippi Choctaw tribe is the only one in Mississippi that can run a gaming place on its reservation. This is because they are the only tribe in the state that is officially recognized by the government.
Changes and Growth
Around 2009, during a tough economic time, the Golden Moon casino changed its hours. It started opening only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The tribe had to make some changes to its team during this time.
To make the resort even better, the Mississippi Choctaw tribe spent about $71 million on updates. They improved the casino and the hotel. The Golden Moon reopened in January 2015. The tribe shared that they employ many people at their resort, often between 2,400 and 3,000 workers. Most of these workers are members of the tribe. During the busy summer months, when more people visit the water park and play golf, they hire even more staff.
