Miss. Governor Haley Barbour to provide keynote presentation at Southern Gaming Summit

BILOXI, Miss. (April 24, 2007) — The 14^th annual Southern Gaming Summit will welcome Miss. Governor Haley Barbour as its keynote speaker when the popular conference returns to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi, May 9-10.

Gov. Barbour has been a strong force in the state, leading Mississippi through the recovery and rebuilding process in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  He has worked tirelessly, from the initial relief efforts to the ongoing development of a new vision for the region.

“We are very pleased to host Gov. Barbour for a keynote presentation,” said Curt Follmer, Chairman of the Mississippi Casino Operations Association, producer of the Summit along with Ascend Media Gaming Group. “He has always recognized the importance of gaming to the region’s economy and in this post-Katrina world, he has played a leadership role in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast and has worked closely with the gaming industry.”

In total, nearly 100 expert speakers are already confirmed for the Summit. Several multi-session conference tracks will provide attendees with in-depth information and discussion of specific topics, including Gulf Coast recovery and rebirth, tribal gaming, slot machines and gaming law.

Recognizing the importance of the conference, several leading industry vendors have signed on as sponsors, including Advanced Electronic Systems, Inc., Aristocrat, Bally Technologies, Gaming Laboratories International, Global Cash Access, IGT, IP Casino Resort Spa, JCM American, Konami Gaming, Las Vegas Gaming Inc., Shuffle Master, Spielo, Vending Data Corp. and WMS Gaming. 

The Southern Gaming Summit is the largest gaming trade show held outside of Las Vegas. For a complete speaker list and up-to-date information, please visit www.sgsummit.com.

Media Contact: Beverly Martin, Executive Director, Mississippi Casino Operators Association; WINMCOA@aol.com or (228) 388-0087.