Seven Mississippi Casino Courses Honored by Golfweek; Canadian Travelers Can Now Fly Direct to Mississippi Border; Bay St. Louis Named a ‘Dream Town’ by Coastal Living Magazine
(JACKSON, Mississippi) – The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Division of Tourism today announces that seven courses in the state have been voted onto Golfweek’s “50 Best Casino Courses” list.
The seven courses – in order of rank with their architects – are:
• No. 2: Fallen Oak Golf Club (Tom Fazio)
• No. 18: Dancing Rabbit Golf Club’s Azaleas Course (Tom Fazio/Jerry Pate)
• No. 23: Grand Bear Golf Club (Jack Nicklaus)
• No. 39: The Preserve Golf Club (Jerry Pate)
• No. 40: Shell Landing (Davis Love III)
• No. 43: Dancing Rabbit Golf Club’s Oaks Course (Fazio/Pate)
• No. 48: The Bridges Golf Club (Arnold Palmer)
This is the fifth year Golfweek has conducted its casino course rankings. To produce the list, the magazine sends out a nationwide team of more than 600 course raters to survey more than 2,200 courses on the basis of 10 criteria, including routing, conditioning, variety and memorability of holes.
Mississippi and Nevada had the second-most courses on the list with seven, following Arizona, which led the way with eight. Overall 17 different states are represented on the list.
“The Golfweek rankings further prove that Mississippi is one of the most attractive locations in the U.S. for golf and gaming,” said Mary Beth Wilkerson, the MDA’s Tourism Division Deputy Director. “We’re the third-largest gaming destination in North America so it’s only fitting that the many gaming venues we have also feature top-notch golf courses.”
Fallen Oak is an amenity of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and is an MGM Resorts International property, just like its “sister” course, Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, which was rated No. 1 by Golfweek. Fallen Oak opened in November 2006 and is home to the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, the PGA Champions Tour event that will be played March 30-April 3, 2011.
Dancing Rabbit’s Azaleas and Oaks courses serve as amenities of Pearl River Resort in central Mississippi and roll out over a combined 14,000 yards. Each of these par-72 masterpieces embrace the gently rolling hills and valleys indigenous to the region.
Grand Bear, an amenity of Harrah’s Grand Biloxi Casino, is set deep inside the DeSoto Forest along the red-clay banks of the Big Biloxi and Little Biloxi Rivers and features towering pines, natural cypress wetlands, secluded fairways, deep bunkers and impeccably manicured greens.
Known as a course where nature, beauty and “pure golf” combine, The Preserve, an amenity of the Palace Casino Resort, is a Jerry Pate design that sits adjacent to an 1,800-acre undisturbed piece of land, which includes water, wetlands and a layout with tricky greens complexes.
Shell Landing is a Davis Love III designed masterpiece in Gautier, a mile away from the Mississippi Sound. The course serves as an amenity of IP Casino Resort & Spa and features a unique layout that rolls through a combination of tall pines, marshes and bayous.
The Bridges is the state’s only Arnold Palmer golf course design and is an amenity of Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis. The course is set among 600 acres of moss-draped live oaks, pines, magnolias and features 21 bridges that span nearly one mile.
For information on all of the value-laden stay-and-play packages available in Mississippi go to www.visitmississippi.org or call toll-free 1-866-801-8551 to receive a free Golf Travel Guide and suggested itineraries.
Air Canada and WestJet Launch Non-Stop Service From Canada to Mississippi Border
Air Canada and WestJet have recently made travel from Canada to Mississippi a whole lot easier by launching non-stop service to the Mississippi border in Memphis and New Orleans, respectively.
Air Canada, the 13th largest commercial airline in the world, is offering fights to Memphis International Airport using a 75-seat CRJ aircraft. The Tunica area in the Delta Region of Mississippi is less than 45 minutes from the Memphis airport.
WestJet is flying direct to New Orleans, which sits approximately one hour from the Biloxi/Gulfport area on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. WestJet flies between Toronto and New Orleans four times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Bay St. Louis Selected as a ‘Dream Town’ in Coastal Living magazine
Coastal Living magazine has named Bay St. Louis, Mississippi one of its featured “Dream Towns.” In an article titled “Beach Town Comeback,” the editors credit the community for rallying to rebuild and regaining its “quirky” independence.
“After canvassing all coasts for towns with seaside charm, a lively beach culture, and good housing, these are our top spots for planning quick trips or finding a new place to live,” the article read.
Bay St. Louis is also home to the Hollywood Casino, which is located on 600 waterfront acres and offers superior gaming, entertainment and dining. In addition, The Bridges Golf Club – the state’s lone Arnold Palmer Signature golf course – serves as an amenity of the casino.
Through Dec. 29, 2010, stay-and-play packages start at just $59 per golfer and include one round of golf at The Bridges, one night accommodation at Hollywood Casino, free $10 slot machine play and a 10% discount in The Bridges pro shop.
For reservations or more information call 1-800-WIN-BIG-2 (1-800-946-2442) or visit www.HollywoodCasinobsl.com/golf/.
About Mississippi Golf:
Attractions contributing to Mississippi’s growing popularity as the preferred golf-and-travel destination include:
• Temperate year-round golf weather
• More than 145 courses that offer all price points and design varieties in five distinct regions
• World-famous gourmet cuisine, Blues Trail, the mighty Mississippi River, and luxurious casino resorts offering marquee name entertainers and shows
• Family-themed attractions including parks, lakes, beaches and trails
• History and architecture, including stunning Antebellum Era mansions turned award-winning B&B venues
For more information visit www.visitmississippi.org or call toll-free 1-866-801-8551.
Contact:
Gary Trask, 978.228.0314
Buffalo Communications
gtrask@billycaspergolf.com
Dan Shepherd, 703.891.3320
Buffalo Communications
dshepherd@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
