The Biloxi, like the Tunica, formed a strong alliance with the French, which for a while brought them important economic and political benefits. They were the first people encountered by French colonizers Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville in 1669. The Biloxi were a tribe on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at present-day Biloxi, Mississippi. Under severe pressure from European diseases, famine and warfare, the Tunica steadily moved southward, following the Mississippi River. They were traders and entrepreneurs of the first order. The Tunica exercised influence over a wide territory, encompassing present-day Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama and even Florida.

The Tunica and Biloxi Indians have lived on their reservation near Marksville for over two centuries, during which the tribes, though speaking completely different languages, intermarried. “Cherishing our past, building for our future” is the motto of Chairman Barbry, as well as the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Marksville’s transformation into a resort destination will continue as the Tribe dedicates itself to developing amenities in Avoyelles Parish. In addition to monetary contributions, many associates at Paragon Casino Resort have volunteered their time and talents to local community organizations. Since 1994, they have donated a considerable amount of money to various nonprofit organizations on the local, regional and national level. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe maintains a cooperative relationship with the community and looks for ways to strengthen those ties. The casino employs over 1,780 employees and offers training and educational opportunities that enable them to advance their careers and improve their quality of life. Since the casino’s opening, unemployment in Avoyelles Parish has steadily declined. Working under a compact with the state of Louisiana and having signed a management and construction agreement with Grand Casinos of Minnesota, Paragon Casino Resort (formerly Grand Casino Avoyelles) opened its doors to the public in June of 1994. His dream became reality when, in 1991, negotiations began for the approval and construction of Louisiana’s first land-based casino. was to see the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe become self-sufficient.

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