A ribbon-cutting ceremony set for 1 p.m. marks the grand opening weekend for the Golden Nugget casino in Biloxi.

After months of hard work, crews have completed the first phase of the $100 million renovation project of what was formerly the Isle of Capri, Mississippi’s first casino. According to The Sun Herald, Landry’s finalized its purchase of the resort from the Isle of Capri in 2012.

A number of festivities including celebrity appearances and the debut of the first Morton’s The Steakhouse and Lillie’s Asian Cuisine in the state are part of the grand opening weekend.

The announcement that Willie Robertson of A&E’s popular television show “Duck Dynasty” will be at the Golden Nugget on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. has drawn attention to the event according to Bradley Rhines, vice president of marketing for the casino.

“It does feel like there’s a lot of excitement,” said Rhines in an interview with The Sun Herald.

The casino is also the first in the state to feature Virtual Racing. The NASCAR themed promotion from Bally Technologies allows players from any slot machine to choose one of eight featured NASCAR drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon to cheer on in an hourly race held from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 car, which is also featured in the game, will be on display during the weekend.

SOURCE: ClarionLedger.com