The Mississippi Gaming Commission has approved site planning for a new casino in Natchez.

The Lane Company plans a riverfront development and casino.

Company official Ted Doody said the commission’s action on Thursday was the first step in the licensing process — verifying the zone for gaming was correct.

“They’re basically making sure no churches or schools are adjacent to the casino,” Doody said.

The commission examined the preliminary site plan and approved the location of the vessel and parking, Doody said.

The city of Natchez awarded the Roth Hill land lease to Lane Company in December. Along with a casino, the company plans to create a park in which residents can spend time.

“Now, we really start getting into the details of the design work,” Doody said. “We’ve been told our overall concept works, now we can proceed to work out the details of the design.”

The company will go back to the Gaming Commission for design approval and a review of its financial backing. The third step will be getting approval to proceed.