Gulfport, MS (November 20, 2006) — Island View Casino Resort officials announced today that Gulfport’s only casino has signed an agreement with world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse to open Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House at the Island View Casino and Resort in Gulfport.

Lagasse – an internationally recognized restaurateur, television personality and author – joined Island View Casino owner Rick Carter at a press conference this afternoon at the casino to unveil renderings of the 9,000 square-foot, 200-seat restaurant.

The restaurant, which will serve lunch and dinner, was designed by Friedmutter Group of Las Vegas and will be a sister restaurant to the award-winning Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas. It is expected to open at Island View Casino Resort in summer 2007.

“When we opened Island View we made a commitment to the Gulf Coast community to operate a casino resort of the highest quality. By introducing an Emeril Lagasse-signature restaurant we know we are creating a resort that fulfills that promise, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House is a brand known for its standard of excellence created by a chef of unparalleled passion and talent and we are pleased to create this association with him,” says Rick Carter.

“I am very happy to partner with Rick and Terry and their team at Island View for this exciting project,” says Emeril Lagasse. “I receive offers everyday to build new restaurants all over the world, but I chose to open a restaurant on the Gulf Coast because it means a lot to me to be a part of the rebuilding of this community. My family and I have very close ties here - my wife Alden grew up in Gulfport and we have spent a lot of time with our family and friends here, as well as our involvement with the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.”

Today, Lagasse also announced a grant of $25,000 to be awarded to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. The grant will go towards performing arts outreach and educational programming
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About Island View Casino Resort
Island View Casino Resort opened on Sept. 18 as the only casino in Gulfport, Miss. The land-based casino, located on 40 acres of waterfront property, currently offers a 30,000-square-foot casino with 15 table games and 1,033 slots. Island View has 562 hotel rooms and a 350-seat buffet. Upon final build out, which is expected to be in the spring of 2007, Island View will feature a 520,000-square-foot-resort with 80,000-square feet of casino space including 2,400 slots and 50 table games, as well as an Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, a 24-hour steak house, coffee shop, sand-beach pool and covered parking. Island View Casino Resort is privately held by Rick Carter and Terry Green, two Gulfport natives and longtime casino executives committed to the post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

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