Biloxi’s Lady Luck Casino was once famous for its large fire-breathing dragon. What happened to it?

Though open for only a brief period in the 90s, Lady Luck Casino remains a cherished memory among Coastal Mississippi locals, primarily because of its colossal, fire-breathing dragon.

Lady Luck Casino, which opened at Fisherman’s Wharf in Biloxi in December 1993, stood out for its distinct Asian influence, making it a unique attraction on the Coast.

However, the most famous feature was the $4 million Asian Dragon of Good Fortune, an awe-inspiring creation built by the Florida-based company Fantastic Fountains. Every hour, the dragon’s performance entertained guests as it entered the lagoon, soared into the air, shot fire out of its mouth, broke into a temple, and displayed its massive span.

At the time, the dragon measured 39 feet in length, weighed a staggering 19,400 pounds, and the volcano above the temple consumed 152 gallons of fuel with each fiery eruption.

Regrettably, Lady Luck Casino shut its doors in June 1998 and was promptly cleared out. Many were disappointed by the dragon’s departure, but few were aware that it hadn’t ventured far. It’s in Ocean Springs.

What happened to the dragon?

Frank Gann and his wife, Marlene, are the founders of Seahorse Productions which provided entertainment services to seven casinos along the Mississippi Coast. Their company also supplied lighting, speakers, props and other services for several famous acts, including the Beach Boys and ZZ Top during their performances at the casinos.

When Lady Luck was slated for closure, Frank was working at a neighboring casino when he learned that the dragon was to be trashed. Rather than allowing the beloved dragon to meet such a fate, Frank convinced a crane operator to lower the dragon onto his trailer instead.

That night, despite heavy rainstorms, Frank drove the dragon back to his house, where it has remained ever since. Unfortunately, several pieces of the dragon, such as its whiskers, were broken during this time and only the fiberglass head could be saved.

Frank also managed to salvage four miniature dragon statues from the casino.

“I’ve always seen myself as a curator,” Frank said.

Over the years, Frank and Marlene made several modifications to the dragon, including replacing its old teeth with bull horns and repairing the broken whiskers with new ones slicked back to give it the appearance of flying. Local airbrush artist Jody Barrilleaux painted the dragon to give it a fresh look. Over the years, it has been used in Mardi Gras parades, commercials, and other local events.

“For Mardi Gras, we adorned it with long Mardi Gras beads around its neck,” Marlene said. “We also crafted a giant mask to put on it.”

Frank safely stored the dragon in a storage unit during Hurricane Katrina before relocating it to his backyard. After that, the few people who knew the dragon was at their residence began visiting to see the once-ferocious attraction.

“One day, a van pulled up, and several kids jumped out screaming ‘that’s it,’” Frank said. “They had been behind me the night I drove it home in the rain and thought the dragon had been killed.”

Although many people referred to it as the Lady Luck or Asian Dragon of Fortune, Frank and Marlene came to call the beloved piece “Naga,” which is Chinese for Dragon. It currently sits in Frank and Marlene’s backyard among other interesting props and artifacts, including a velociraptor that once guarded Fun Time USA on Highway 90 and a giant Bunya-Bunya tree.

Plans for the future

When asked what people love about the dragon, Frank said, “For the older folks, it’s emotional, for the younger folks, it’s curiosity.”

However, Frank admits that he was unable to restore or use it as much as he had planned and hopes it finds a new home. He also hopes that he gets the money, love, and effort he put into Naga back, preferably by seeing it moved somewhere where the public, and especially local children, can enjoy it.

“I would really like to see her out in the public again,” said Frank. “Not to an organization that will put her on a billboard or an individual that will just turn around and sell her.”

For many locals, the Lady Luck Dragon of Fortune was truly a fascinating spectacle back in its day. Although the casino is gone, and the dragon is only a small portion of what it used to be, the efforts Frank and Marlene put into it highlight how much it meant to so many people.

“I’m really glad that it’s finally going to get some attention,” said Frank.