CASINO BRIEFS

Casino Magic Bay St. Louis now offers high speed Internet connection service in all sleeping rooms of the Bay Tower Hotel free of charge. The connection can process up to 30 times faster than the typical dial-up connection.

"This is a really important amenity to our corporate clients," said Kim Melvin, director of sales at Casino Magic Bay St. Louis.

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino was named as the "least expensive" of the world's best 500 hotels in the annual ranking by Travel + Leisure magazine.

"Being recognized by Travel + Leisure readers as one of the world's top resorts for the third year in a row is truly an honor," said Jeff Dahl, president of Beau Rivage. "We are especially proud to be singled out as the best value among all the properties, particularly combined with our commitment to quality entertainment, upscale facilities and exceptional customer service that people have come to expect from MGM Mirage properties."

Lori Hutzler Eckert, director of corporate communications for Isle of Capri Casinos, is leaving the company after 13 years.

"I'm kind of sad," she said. "I feel a little mixed leaving. They've been so good to me, but it was time for me to make a change."

She started out managing a media table the day the Isle opened the first legal casino in Mississippi on Aug. 1, 1992. She became public relations manager at the Biloxi property, then was promoted to the corporate job in February 2000.

Her last day on the job is Jan. 31.

Peter M. Carlino, who heads Penn National Gaming, has been named Executive of the Year by Casino Journal magazine. An accompanying article describes how Carlino has "quietly grown his company into an industry giant."

Penn National Gaming, which originated as a regional track operator, now owns and operates several casinos, including Boomtown in Biloxi and Casino Magic Bay St. Louis.

Terry Lanni, the executive officer of MGM Mirage, has been elected chairman of the board of the American Gaming Association. He succeeds Phil Sarte, the former chairman of Harrah's Entertainment.

All In is a new poker magazine distributed by a division of Time Warner. The inaugural January/February issue features former World Series of Poker Champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson on the cover. The magazine will be published bimonthly and will sell for $4.99.

"From dorm rooms to trading floors, the defining characteristic of poker enthusiasts is that they want to learn how to win," said founder and publisher Bhu Srinivasan. "They want to know how the pros bluff, how they bet and how they think."

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Beau Rivage Theatre is hosting a benefit for the WINGS Performing Arts Program at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Tickets are $50 for floor seating with wine and cheese served and $20 for upper level seating. The benefit is 7 p.m. Saturday. Details: Discovery Center, 897-6039.

- FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS