Organization seeks to build $22M resort along Gulf Coast

GULFPORT, Ms. (WLOX) – Organizers form the Gulf Coast Development and Design proposed a resort style site to be made next to the Port of Gulfport.

The idea, presented to Harrison County’s Board of Supervisors, is at protecting the shoreline from hurricanes and beach erosion as well as improving water quality.

The envisioned project will feature a lagoon inside a swimming area and a rental area for kayaks, add more areas of sand beach and, more all located near the Island View Casino resort. The location was chosen based on its proximity to restaurants, hotels and shopping centers for tourism.

Co-owner Kenneth Jones said the site will be split up in two to three areas in Gulfport, Biloxi and Long Beach costing around $22 million.

Jones said it’s a lot of money, but he believes it will help lower future costs for coastal restoration.

“A lot of the other things we’ve done to repair some of the damage that’s happen from some of the storms already,” Jones said. “It’s about $2.5 billion, so when you look at the grand scheme of what we’ve done and really haven’t done a great job of coastal resilience, $22 million doesn’t seem like a lot of money to actually prepare us to weather future storms.”

Members of the board invited Jones to attend a multi-state alliance for coastal counties in Texas later this month to pitch his project.

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