Meeting on Mississippi casino lasts five hours

DIAMONDHEAD, Mississippi -- As reported by The Sun Herald: "The question of whether a company should be allowed to build a casino in this community has mostly been a matter of insider baseball in recent weeks.

"But Thursday night the issue turned into a very open and public debate, as the Hancock County Planning Commission listened to a rezoning request that would allow Jacobs Entertainment to build a casino in south Diamondhead.

"A Jacobs team faced a crowd of several hundred Diamondhead residents, many of whom expressed skepticism. The casino representatives said they had come armed with the prospect of economic prosperity for the community and a previous poll showing more than 69 percent of Diamondhead residents who were questioned favored a casino in their neighborhood.

"The hearing, which lasted nearly five hours, ended with planning commissioners making no decision. During a public comments period, more than 25 people spoke out against rezoning for the casino. About five said they were in favor.

"Commissioners voted to take the issue under advisement and discuss it again at a January workshop..."