Bank settles in casino lobbying case

Thursday, Oct. 12, 2000 | 10:37 a.m.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VICKSBURG, Miss. -- AmSouth Bank, formerly Deposit Guaranty National Bank, has reached a tentative settlement in a lawsuit over alleged improper lobbying in opposition to a casino on the Big Black River.

In October 1999, a Pike County jury awarded $4 million to E.L. Pennebaker of Warren County and Jim Belisle of Multi-Gaming Management.

Both men had sued over claims that AmSouth, Harrah's Entertainment and Ameristar Casinos conspired to influence the Mississippi Gaming Commission to block a casino in east Warren County.

Isle of Capri was also named in the lawsuit, but settled for an undisclosed amount before the case was tried.

Rick Swagler, a spokesman for AmSouth Bank, said the bank had no comment on the tentative settlement.

Pennebaker owns land next to the planned site for a casino and racetrack on the Big Black River by Belisle's group. The site was rejected by the Gaming Commission in 1996 as unsuitable.

The Vicksburg casino operators, the city of Vicksburg and business groups opposed the development 13 miles closer to Jackson as harmful to tourism.

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