Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005, inflicting severe damage on the Mississippi Gulf Coast's casinos. The storm's 25-foot wall of water and 28-foot storm surge decimated two of Biloxi's ten casinos and heavily damaged the remaining eight.

The floating barge casinos, which adhered to Mississippi's land-based gambling laws, were swept hundreds of yards inland, torn from their moorings. Following the storm, the Copa Casino, Casino Magic Biloxi, and Grand Casino Gulfport would never return.

Despite the devastation, this disaster set the stage for a remarkable economic resurgence, as the region's resilience and determination would soon lead to a revitalized and thriving casino industry.  A gold rush of sorts would start as casinos competed to reopen quickly and claim a slice of the pie.

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