Lakes Entertainment won a request for more restrictive zoning Tuesday as the $200 million casino-hotel project inched toward construction.

The site of what is to be the fifth casino in Vicksburg is off U.S. 61 South near Meadow Lane.

The 175 acres Lakes owns had multiple residential and agricultural designations and the request, granted on a 5-0 vote by the Board of Zoning Appeals, will designate it as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) tract.

“PUD allows us to name the type of things that occur on the site,” said Richard Bienapfl, vice president of development for Lakes Entertainment.

Jimmy Gouras, a representative for Lakes Entertainment and a former city planner for Vicksburg, said one of the existing zoning designations, L-2, would have allowed heavy industry in the area, something the casino company doesn’t want as a neighbor.

Gouras said Lakes Entertainment wanted to create a more restrictive zone to maintain the agricultural and resort atmosphere that exists at the riverside location.

“I think they really capture the purpose of the PUD,” said Wayne Mansfield, Vicksburg’s city planner, in endorsing the change.

The proposed destination resort is to include a 410-room hotel, seven restaurants and meeting facilities capable of accommodating 250 guests. It is to be the first new casino in Vicksburg since Rainbow Casino-Hotel opened in July 1994.

The zoning board, composed of citizen appointees, also voted to approve a request for a special exception to allow the company to build a human resources building on tract. It was also approved 5-0, with board member the Rev. Casey Fisher abstaining from both votes citing his residence in the area and religious beliefs. The board’s decisions advance to the Mayor and Aldermen where approval is expected.

Nearly every seat in the board room was filled for the presentation that started at 5 p.m.. Many, including resident Kenneth Sucharski, had questions about traffic.

Representatives from Lakes presented maps of the plans and showed where a traffic light is planned for the resort’s main entrance, south of Willow Road on U.S. 61 South, to control traffic in the area.

Mansfield said the Mississippi Department of Transportation will be making improvements to the roads in that area to ease traffic flow.

Sucharski then asked how many homes would be torn down to build the resort. When Gouras replied that none would be torn down, Sucharski said, “Let’s start building.”

Bienapfl said Lakes plans to begin construction in January or February. Site approval has already been provided by the state Gaming Commission. Before work begins, construction plans must be submitted to and approved by authorities. Before licensure, state investigations into owners and myriad other matters must be completed.

After the Mississippi Legislature approved dockside gaming in 1990, Warren County voters, after first rejecting casino development, passed a referendum in December 1992 giving their OK. The Isle of Capri opened in August 1993, followed by Harrah’s (now Horizon) in November 1993, Ameristar in February 1994 and Rainbow.

Many other projects were announced, but not developed. A proposal to build a casino and auto racing complex in the Bovina area was rejected by the Gaming Commission and ultimately by the state Supreme Court.

Pending is a sixth casino, the Pot of Gold, which may be developed between the Rainbow and Lakes sites.

In other business the board: