NATCHEZ &045; Mayor Phillip West confirmed Wednesday developers have expressed interest in locating a casino and hotel in Natchez.

But he emphasized that the companies, which he would not name or give any details about, have only said they might be interested and asked for initial information &045; not committed to a project.

&uot;It is very preliminary right now,&uot; said West, who also would not say how many developers have made inquiries.

West said he and aldermen discussed the matter in a work session held Tuesday night.

West said he thought The Natchez Democrat had already been notified about the session which, because a quorum of aldermen were present, must be open to the public according to state law.

This isn’t the first time in recent years a developer has expressed interest in locating a casino in Natchez other than the existing Isle of Capri.

Florida-based developer Charles Cato had expressed interest in locating a casino at the city’s 5.3-acre Roth Hill riverside property and possibly a convention-grade hotel on the bluff adjacent to that site.

Millions of dollars in state funds and about $20,000 from the city itself have been spent on riverfront improvements, including bluff stabilization and infrastructure improvements to Roth Hill Road, which descends almost to the water’s edge.

City officials even signed an agreement, in 2003, to negotiate exclusively with Cato, but that agreement lapsed after a few months.

Cato is now pursuing Gaming Commission approval to open a casino just south of the Mississippi River bridge and build a hotel adjacent to that site.