The Mississippi Gaming Commission on Wednesday approved the site and development of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi.

The new casino is expected to open in May 2005 at a site adjacent to Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel in Biloxi.

Premier Entertainment will own and operate the $255 million resort.

”I think Hard Rock brings a brand to the coast that is recognized worldwide,’ said Joe Billhimer, president and chief operating officer of Premier Entertainment.

Premier plans to begin construction in October pending a final go-ahead from the commission. That could come during a September vote.

The development will feature a 10-story hotel with 304 rooms, a Hard Rock Cafe, a 1,200-person capacity Hard Rock Live Performance venue, a pool with a beach area and a nightclub on the top floor of the hotel.

The casino will have a single 48,500-square-foot gaming floor with 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games.

”The Hard Rock is an indication of the bar being raised to a true destination resort,’ said Larry Gregory, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

Premier Entertainment has a licensing agreement with the Rank Corp., a British company that owns Hard Rock franchises east of the Mississippi River, said Dan McDaniel, a Jackson lawyer who represents the Rank Corp.

In joining 12 existing casinos, a Hard Rock Casino would boost the image of Gulf Coast as a travel destination, Gregory said.

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