Casino developer gets another year to buy a Biloxi site that comes with challenges
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- Biloxi council extended Tullis Garden Casino land option to Nov 22, 2026.
- Developers paid $25,000 and can add up to three one-year extensions.
- Purchase awaits resolution of lawsuits, title suit and state historical restrictions.
The developer of the proposed Tullis Gardens Casino has another year to buy an eight-acre site in east Biloxi from the city.
On Tuesday, the Biloxi Council voted to extend the option to buy the property at U.S. 90 and Howard Avenue for an additional year to Nov. 22, 2026.
The extension comes with a payment of $25,000. The agreement also gives the developer the option to tack on up to three more one-year extensions.
The developer remains committed to the project.
“Tullis is here to stay, we are not going anywhere, and we’re going to build our hotel and casino,” said Luke Lenzi, CEO and partner of the casino.
The casino was proposed in 2022 with a 200-room hotel, casino and conference center, restaurants and other amenities. A replica of the Tullis Manor that was on the site is proposed to draw more people to the resort.
“You cannot build a strong building on a weak foundation, so to move the Coast forward we need to change fundamentally how business is done here,” he said. “The future is bright, it’s time for a new direction and I will be the engine of that positive change.”
The property is a prime lot on Beach Boulevard, across from the beach, west of Harrah’s and Golden Nugget casinos, yet has some definite challenges.
Tullis Gardens Casino secured site approval from the Mississippi Gaming Commission in December 2024.
Before they can purchase the land, the developers first have to clear lawsuits against site approval filed by Treasure Bay and Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association, and a title lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Secretary of State.
Whether the property becomes the site of a casino or ultimately is used for any other development, the city needs to clear restrictions placed by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History before any construction can begin.
Tullis-Toledano Manor was built on the site before the Civil War and remains of the family’s slaves are believed to have been found by archaeological digs on the property.
