By Karen Bryant

For anyone who thinks the Mississippi Coast is still bleak and barren after the blow from Hurricane Katrina, Beau Rivage will make them think again.

After closing its doors in the wake of the storm in August 2005, Beau Rivage Resort and Casino Biloxi is back, and in a big way. The resort reopened exactly one year after Katrina as a virtually new resort with every inch of its 32 stories remodeled and renovated.

“We’ve accomplished so much in the last year,” said President & Chief Operating Officer George Corchis. “Beau Rivage was a world-class property prior to Katrina, and we had the opportunity to learn what worked well. We took that opportunity – talked to guests and employees and people in the industry – and learned what trends are popular now versus when we originally built the casino.”

Beau Rivage’s completely new design is the result of a partnership between the in-house MGM MIRAGE Design Group and handpicked external designers. Together, the team created the resort’s new look.

For longtime fans of Beau Rivage, the sight is as magnificent as ever. The beautiful building – resembling its Las Vegas sister property, Bellagio – towers above the Mississippi beach skyline. But unlike Bellagio, this resort in the Deep South has a distinct Southern flavor. Its entry drive is shaded by a canopy of massive oaks reminiscent of old Southern plantations and a sea of blooming plants bursts across the landscape.

I recently made my first trip there since Beau Rivage’s reopening. And while I was impressed with the gracious gardens and grand entry, I didn’t linger long: I was too anxious to get inside and see all the new sights and explore the new amenities.

Indoors, I walked through the atrium, a breathtaking garden of live trees and greenery amid a sea of flowering plants. The scene was cheerful, warm and welcoming, calling me to ease into the laid-back Southern lifestyle and take some time to soak in the beauty. But I had a lot on my agenda. I couldn’t wait to see the new guest rooms, shop along the promenade and, most of all, try the new, fabulous restaurants that have opened to rave reviews.

I strolled the promenade from one end to the other. From posh boutiques filled with designer gowns and shoes to an upscale men’s shop, a jewelry boutique with designer watches and jewelry, stores with souvenirs and novelties, even a $10 boutique, there is enough retail therapy to satisfy even the most serious shopaholic. By the time I took a break at the coffee shop in the promenade, I had decided that whoever said that money can’t buy happiness just hasn’t been to the shops at Beau Rivage.

Finally, the time I’d been anticipating all day was here: dinner at Todd English’s Olives, one of three new, gourmet restaurants that opened in December.