By By William F. West / community editor
Oct. 3, 2002
PHILADELPHIA Although it has been doing business for several weeks, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Golden Moon Hotel and Casino officially opens Friday.
Grand opening ceremonies are scheduled for 8 p.m. outside the casino, but organizers are ready to move the invitation-only event inside or to a pavilion if Hurricane Lili brings heavy weather.
Promoters were upbeat Wednesday.
Carl said Chief Phillip Martin will have a surprise for the anticipated crowd of more than 2,000 people.
The 28-story Golden Moon has 571 rooms including 112 suites and 32 VIP luxury suites, topped by a lounge, a restaurant and an observation deck. The bottom floor has casinos plus a bistro, a coffee shop, dance floors, lounges, restaurants and stores.
The Golden Moon, a $177 million project, opened in late August across Highway 16 from the Silver Star Hotel and Casino, which opened in 1994. Other Choctaw enterprises in Philadelphia include the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club and the Geyser Falls Water Theme Park.