Over the past 15 years, the entertainment scene in northwest Mississippi changed rapidly. Gaming has replaced cotton as the biggest money maker. Golf and gambling -- not fishing and hunting -- rank as the most popular recreational activities. Ten million visitors a year visit the area around Tunica, making it a modern-day hotbed. And fortunately for the tourists and locals alike, the region has retained its deep roots mired in blues music, Mike Bailey writes.

Fifteen years ago, quality daily-fee golf didn't exist in Mississippi Delta. That was before Tunica Resorts became one of the Mid-South's top gaming destinations, however. These days, Tunica National Golf & Tennis offers a challenging round of Mark McCumber-designed golf at rates that make the area one of the more economical golf vacations in the country, Mike Bailey writes.