CHOCTAW, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2002 - The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) reached yet another milestone amid its ongoing quest for expansion of the Pearl River Resort with today's official grand opening of the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino. The facility had been accessible to the public since the August 26 "soft opening," but the atmosphere was electric and excitement was in no short supply as events were held throughout the day to commemorate the historic achievement.

"Today marks another historic moment for Pearl River Resort, the Mississippi Choctaws and, for that matter, all Mississippians," said MBCI Chief Phillip Martin. "This luxurious facility will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goal of becoming a top U.S. resort destination - a distinction of which all state residents can be proud." Presently, Pearl River Resort represents more than a $500-million investment by the Choctaws in the State of Mississippi. Additionally, the Golden Moon has hired 2,000 new employees - bringing the current employment base for Pearl River Resort close to 5,200.

Ground was officially broken for the $177-million facility in November 2000. The Golden Moon Hotel & Casino is located directly across Highway 16 from Silver Star Hotel & Casino and features an 843,000-square-foot luxury hotel consisting of 571 rooms, including 112 suites and 32 VIP luxury suites, located within the hotel's 28 floors. The casino offers 90,000 square feet of gaming floor space with 1,750 slot machines and 54 table games. The Golden Moon features five appealing restaurants ranging from California-style 24-hour dining to steaks and fine wines, seafood, and sushi. Five lounges exist for entertainment pleasure, including a show lounge offering live music, a sports bar and grille, and a coffee bar lounge.

Building upon the phenomenal success of its existing Silver Star Hotel & Casino and Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Pearl River Resort has become a full-service resort destination, with the opening of several new attractions this summer:

--  Geyser Falls Water Theme Park, a beautiful, 15-acre themed waterpark featuring 12 major waterslides, a gigantic wavepool, and an exotic continuous river - designed by Michael Lee, one of the creators of Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot Center;

--  Star*tacular, a one-of-a-kind laser, light and water show set to music and featuring lasers, fountains, pyrotechnics, and water screen projections;

--  Hollywood Star Cars, a collection of 25 famous cars of film and television in impressive Hollywood settings.

The next development scheduled to open at Pearl River Resort is a nine-acre lagoon that will contain a white sand beach and a freshwater snorkeling experience. The lagoon is scheduled to open next summer and will be a part of the 285-acre Lake Pushmataha recreation development which will eventually feature a 180,000-square-foot fitness center; 10,000-seat amphitheater; festival plaza; landscaped labyrinth; six-story hotel with over 200 rooms; and a memorial to Choctaw war veterans.

"First and foremost, we are a gaming resort," said Jay Dorris, president of Pearl River Resort. "However, in addition to our two world-class casinos, we have also developed numerous amenities which make Pearl River Resort a multi-day family destination. Our guests enjoy a variety of gaming, entertainment, and recreational activities at one convenient location."

About The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is a federally recognized, self-governing American Indian tribe of 9,100 enrolled members living on or near 30,000 acres of reservation land in east central Mississippi.

For more information about Pearl River Resort, visit www.pearlriverresort.com.

For more information on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, visit www.choctaw.org.