97BossHammer

heck I guess I'll have to buy them when I'm on site there...can't find any info other then what you posted Rob. I'm getting more info here then I am at the actual OSS site.

Strip Poker 388

iTrader: (6)

There is 2 Holiday inns ,one is a express. they are side beside. They are about 5 miles west of the Isle of Capri.You should beable to buy them at the dry pits across from the Isle.I think the parking garage is finished at the Isle . In the room at the Isle You will be kinda looking over the harbor at the track.

I dont know why they are not promoting there race on OSO.i guess the Casinos put up so much money ther not worried about it. I would be trying to sell the sh*t out of the tickets$$$$.

The Beau Rivage pool and the Harbor walls is prob the closest you will beable to get with out being in a boat.


I look in the racers forum and the racers haven't even posted any info. I guess they have not got there racers packet yet the OSS site said the speed for it was going to be140-150mph . I figured that will a little slower than norm , but it will be like Nascar out there running close the that wall. looks to some long straights and It will be FLAT water.air em out

97BossHammer

cool I'll just pick them up at the dty pits. I figured on top of the Isle would be a good place to watch. Or I'll try to find a peir to watch from. They couldn't guarantee me a balcony room at the Isle, so who knows where I'll end up.

Hopefully staying at the Isle, I'll be within walking distance of everything.

restabr

Damn Strip, you must work for the board of tourism in Biloxi. I freakin' live here and I don't have that much info.

Cool shots of the islands.

Are you bringing your boat down for the races?

Strip Poker 388

iTrader: (6)

We have been vacationing down there running the waters and Islands there since 1990 . Before all the casinos.

I trying to take the Hustler. Should get a pretty good view from the water.might even run out to the Islands I have to drive back Sunday after the Race though

I think we will be OK on the Depth . They have been dredging right there where they will be racing .

I heard something about them running speed trials sat.

restabr

According the schedule they are testing for a few hours Saturday afternoon. I read your post about channel markers on the other thread - I was wondering the same thing. I would think they'd have to pull em' up, but I can't imagine the Coast Guard going through all of that.

Are you going to the SBI races in Orange Beach the next weekend?

ROGMAN

I was just in Biloxi last week. It looks like that should be a pretty nice event. The beaches are laid out well and there should be some great viewing areas.
I wish something like that would come around here (VA Beach area)

97BossHammer

I'm hoping there's a peir or something right around that area where I can go out on and catch em running close.

Strip Poker 388

iTrader: (6)

Restbar every one I know is going to The Tickfaw 200 pokerrun,

In 97 it was in Nov and it was cold and overcast . They raced in front of the President casino . Its the one by it self . It is not near the course this time.It was open water. The new course runs behind Dear Island . All flat water.

97BossHammer The parking garage at the Isle is behind the Harbor.If you cant see from your room I would try to get On the west side of the Casino or some of the casinos west of there . Beau Rivage will be the closest. Should be turn 2 by the map?I don't remember seeing any of the with balcony's . On the Beau rivage north side rooms did not and the windows would not open

Strip Poker 388

iTrader: (6)

Casinos bank on powerboats

By TIMOTHY BOONE


BILOXI - The Smokin' file

Premium viewing areas for Smokin' the Sound, which will be held April 22-25 are the Lighthouse Pier, McElroy's Seafood Restaurant, the top of the parking garage at Grand Casino Biloxi, the observation deck at Casino Magic Biloxi, the top of the parking garage at Isle of Capri Casino and the race village at Point Cadet.

Wristbands must be purchased to enter any of the premium viewing areas and the race village. One-day passes, good for any of the areas, cost $10, two-day passes are $15. Children under 12 can enter premium viewing areas for free.

Wristbands may be purchased at the gates or in advance at Holiday Inn Beachfront in Gulfport, Biloxi Beachfront Inn, the Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi or the Coast Inn and Suites in Waveland.

VIP packages, which cost between $250 and $1,000, may be purchased by calling 594-3442.

Smokin' the Sound may be two weeks away, but the powerboat races look like they should boost East Biloxi casinos.

Event organizers said hotel rooms have filled up at the five casinos sponsoring Smokin' - Beau Rivage, Grand Casino Biloxi, Casino Magic Biloxi, Isle of Capri and Palace Casino - during the weekend of April 22-25.

"They're expecting a nice turnout at all these properties," said Woody Bailey, who helped bring Smokin' to Biloxi. Smokin', which will include several days of parties and music, will culminate April 25 with the first races in the Offshore Super Series Powerboat Racing Association.

The five casinos paid $60,000 to sponsor Smokin' in hopes it can boost tourism in the slow time between Easter and Memorial Day.

"We've been looking for years now to have something in the spring to bookend Cruisin' the Coast," said Keith Crosby, general manager of Palace Casino. "It always surprises me how slow business is in April, because its the nicest month of the year on the Coast."

The Palace has modest expectations for the first year of Smokin', viewing the event as something that will grow.

"It will take a couple of years to get this up and running," Crosby said.

At Casino Magic, officials already had high expectations for the April 23-25 weekend because of a casino-sponsored golf tournament and the Alabama concert at the Coast Coliseum. Smokin' put a third major event in the mix, said John Ferrucci, Casino Magic's general manager.

"We're hoping to be rockin' and rollin' all weekend," he said.

Gene Oswalt, executive director of Smokin' and Cruisin' The Coast, said he expects 20,000 people will attend each day. Thirty VIP packages, which start at $250 and include passes to premium viewing areas, boat flags and tickets to the race village, have been sold in almost two weeks, he said.

"We've gotten a lot of support from the casinos, the tourism agencies and our product sponsors," Oswalt said. "Now we need the folks to buy wristbands or VIP packages so we can have this again."

Oswalt said Smokin' has been an easier sell to sponsors than Cruisin' was in its first year in 1996. The American Powerboat Association's Offshore World Championships were held in Biloxi in 1997 and 1998, so people were familiar with the high-speed races, he said.

"Cruisin' has also heightened the expectation levels of what an event can do on the Coast," Oswalt said. "There's enthusiasm for this event."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Repost


Source: ROBIN FITZGERALDBiloxi Sun Herald
A sunken 90-foot vessel that was a navigational hazard south of the Isle of Capri has been removed in preparation for the Smokin' the Sound powerboat races.State tidelands funds, collected from the lease of public waterbottoms, paid the $55,000 cost for the steel hull's removal earlier this month. The vessel was among 200 abandoned boats the state Department of Marine Resources targeted for removal in 1998 through its derelict vessel removal program.Its removal

Published on March 21, 2004, Page 2, Sun Herald, The (Biloxi, MS)