A proud Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) was on hand early last month to open the new 5,500-foot runway and 10,000-sq-ft terminal building at Tunica, Miss. Located near the Tennessee border 12 miles south of Memphis, Tunica hosts some 12 million visitors annually to its nine casino resorts. Other attractions include restaurants, golf courses, museums, manufacturers’ outlets and antique shopping.

The current $25 million upgrade to the airport is just the beginning. Next year,
the county plans to extend the runway to 7,000 feet and add a control tower, corporate and private hangars, 320,000 sq ft of airline ramp space and a commercial terminal. In 2005 the county expects to extend the runway to 8,500 feet to accommodate larger airliners.