Mississippi tax break denied

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000 | 11:17 a.m.

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Isle of Capri officials have failed to convince Harrison County supervisors to trim the casino's property tax tab by $143,000 this year.

County supervisors, meeting Monday, voted unanimously to reject the casino's request.

Another coast casino, Imperial Palace, also contends the county has overestimated the worth of its land-based property and has petitioned the board to lower its property taxes from $49.3 million to $39.5 million. County officials have received similar complaints from seven other casinos.

This year's property taxes were done as part of the first countywide reappraisal since 1986.

The casinos asked for a $358 million cut in their property evaluations, which would lead to a $5 million decrease in their taxes this year.

Imperial Palace last week sued the county over a tax assessment that more than doubled the value of its property. Other casinos have hinted they might also sue, but so far none have.

Bill Kilduff, Isle of Capri's general manager, said he will be talking with his company's officials about the casino's next move.

"But we're always been able to work though our differences with the city (of Biloxi) and the county before," Kilduff said. "Up until this point, at least, we've never felt the need to turn anything into litigation."

The casinos argue that the county should have based its appraisals on income rather than replacement value.