NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) - Plans for a riverfront park near Magnolia Bluffs Casino could now be dead since the Mississippi Department of Transportation denied a grant application for the $2.5 million park from the city of Natchez.

City Engineer David Gardner tells The Natchez Democrat (http://bit.ly/TFzcym ) MDOT denied the application because the park did not qualify for the transportation enhancement funds for which the city applied.

The plans included an amphitheater, an in-ground spray fountain, lawn area, a boardwalk connecting to the Natchez Trails Project, playground and garden area.

Premier Gaming Group President Kevin Preston, whose company is developing the casino, said the decision of whether to continue with plans for the park is up to the city.

Information from: The Natchez Democrat, http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/

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