by GOLF-SOUTH STAFF

A beautiful thing is happening on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. As the local folks continue to rebuild their lives, which were changed so dramatically by Hurricane Katrina, there's plenty to get excited about.

The bridge between Gulfport and Bay St. Louis has re-opened, with plans to open up the bridge from Biloxi to Ocean Springs slated for November. The openings of these two bridges bring life back into Hwy 90.

Another phase of the "new" Gulfport-Biloxi International airport is expected to be completed in August or September.  But the way things are going it won’t stop there.
New condos are sprouting up, beaches are open, new restaurants are offering a smorgasbord of goodies to tempt your taste buds, world-class golf courses are as good as ever ... yep, Mississippi's once again rocketing up the tourism hotspot list.
But there's more big news.

Casino giant Harrah's (Grand Casino’s) has announced plans to open a Margaritaville Casino and Resort in Biloxi, the largest development in Mississippi since 2005.
Work on the $704-million project is expected to begin this summer on a 46-acre site south of Hwy 90. The Grand Casino and Casino Magic formerly occupied this site.
Songwriter and parrothead Jimmy Buffett will appropriately be involved with
Margaritaville.

"I have always considered myself a "Gulf Coast
kid,"" said Buffett when plans for Margaritaville
were announced. "I was born there, grew up
there and jumped on a stage for the first time
there, before hitting the road. I have seen the
world, traveled to distant shores, written a few
songs and lived a few tall tales along the way,
and now it is good to be coming back home."
"I have seen the best and the worst of times
along Mississippi Sound, and as a survivor of
storms myself, I feel an enormous sense of
gratitude and good fortune to be part of the
re-birth of the region by joining forces with
Harrah's to bring the Margaritaville Casino and
Resort Down around Biloxi.

One of the essential elements of life along the
Gulf Coast is the Creole belief that hard work
and good fun go hand in hand. So, with that in
mind I say, 'Let's get to work and let's let the
good times roll again,' "

"Jimmy is a local ambassador and we're really happy he's attached to the coast," said Mike Chamberlain, manager for tradeshows and conventions for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The resort, which will house 798 hotel rooms, a full-service spa, a pool with tropical landscaping, a casino and retail and meeting space, is expected to be completed in early 2010.

"This project is vital to supporting the rebirth of Mississippi's tourism industry," said Harrah's chief executive Gary Loveman.  "People from all over the world love the concept of Margaritaville,"  Harrah's vice chairman Chuck Atwood said. "And we're going to build the embodiment of that place that lives in people's hearts and minds, we're going to build it right here in Biloxi."

And with the revitalization of the coast, the golf courses really never went
away. Magnificent tracks like Shell Landing, The Grand Bear, The Bridges, The Oaks, and Windance are all worth the visit.  Joining that group in the past year, are the Tom Fazio designed Fallen Oak course and the Jerry Pate designed Preserve Golf Club. Dollar for dollar you will be hard pressed to find a golf and gaming destination to compare.  Not
only do you get
the opportunity
to play on
courses that
stack up with
layouts anywhere,
you'll find great
cuisine, beaches
and Southern
hospitality that's
guaranteed to
easy the burden
of a couple of
double bogeys.

"Our golf rounds
are at about 40%
of the pre
(Katrina) levels,"
said Chamberlain.
"But we're
looking for big things next year, getting up near our normal numbers.
"Several events are being considered for the area, including an LPGA event (Grand Bear and The Preserve were courses LPGA officials took a closer look at recently)," said Chamberlain.

For more information on Margaritaville Casino visit www.harrahs.com

For more information on Biloxi visit www.gulfcoast.org

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GOLF-SOUTH.NET