Providing jobs for Bermudians was the most important part of a recent ?fact-finding mission? to casino-filled Biloxi, Mississippi, claimed Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp.

?The top thing is jobs, jobs, jobs ? the employment opportunities for Bermudians,? said Mr. Mapp who, along with aldermen and councillor Courtland Boyle, travelled to the Gulf Coast city.

The team also spent time in New Orleans.

In Biloxi, the group met with city officials and toured the cities casinos with Michael Cavanaugh, a Biloxi lawyer who represents casino bosses. They saw personally what the town has done to enhance their resources and attract and entertain visitors and residents.

During Tuesday?s opening of the ?On The Waterfront? design exhibition where talented Bermudian designers had their ideas and plans for a new Hamilton Harbour showcased, Mr. Mapp told the crowd that the harbour had not reached ?it?s full potential?.

He told that he would be meeting with the Corporation of Hamilton to discuss findings from the trip and how elements of both Biloxi and New Orleans can help ?revitalise? Hamilton.

Biloxi, a waterfront city of 50,644 people, has thrived from the addition of casinos as a public recreation that pumped over $900 million both into the locally and statewide in 2003.

What most impressed him was the amount of jobs that casinos have generated for the area. ?What do we have to offer for Bermudians?? he said.

But he added: ?Whenever people talk about casinos the bogeyman comes out and you hear about the negativity.

?We didn?t see any of the problems that are generally associated with casinos when we were in Biloxi.?

He added that if any casinos were adopted in Bermuda they would be modelled like Biloxi rather than modelled on an Atlantic City-type casino.

?The downside is the growing issue that going with gaming has people getting addicted.

?I was astounded with the regulations there and the amount of money that goes into programmes to help people with addiction.?

Mr. Mapp said the group got the chance to tour the ?bowels? of the buildings and see the money counting and saw how each penny made specifically reported to the government.