Page 158 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2018

LEISURE breaking ground CONSTRUCTION
KICKS OFF FOR
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Mississippi Aquarium
Gov. Phil Bryant joined Mayor Billy Hewes and
other local officials for the recent construction kickoff of the Mississippi
Aquarium. The huge facility, located at 2100 East Beach in Gulfport and comprised of 5.8 acres, is scheduled to open in late 2019 or early 2020.
“The Mississippi Aquarium is designed to highlight our river and coastal heritage, as well as serve as an educational enriching hub of aquatic understanding,” Mississippi Aquarium CEO and President David Kimmel said.
www.msaquarium.org
70
12
ANIMAL HABITATS
SPECIES
Gulfport High School students participated in the Hoisting of the Sails to raise the Mississippi Aquarium’s logo with its three sails representing education, conservation and community.
The Aquarium is expected to attract an average of 487,000 visitors per year with an annual revenue of $340 million and annual tax revenues of $12.3 million for the state and $2.38 million locally.
It will give employment a boost with 900 new jobs predicted for the aquarium, tourism and other sectors; not including 400 construction jobs.
1 MILLION GALLONS
OF SALT AND FRESH WATER
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
$340 MILLION
ANNUALLY
Containing 1 million gallons of salt and fresh water, the aquarium will feature more than 80,000 square feet of exhibits that will be connected by landscaped walkways with plantings representing all seven physiographic regions of the state.
The water, land and air animal species will include alligators, river otters, fish, dolphins, stingrays and shorebirds.
487,000
158 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • June 2018
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VISITORS ANNUALLY