Biloxi, Mississippi

Biloxi ([bəˈlʌksi]) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the U.S.. The 2000 census recorded the population as 50,644. Biloxi is co–county seat with the larger city Gulfport, in the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area.

The beachfront of Biloxi lies directly on the Gulf of Mexico, with no levees, seawalls, or movable barriers to deflect storm surges, as in other cities. On August 29, 2005, Biloxi was massively damaged by Hurricane Katrina, which struck full-force with a 30-ft (9-m) storm surge that gutted 3rd-floor levels and pushed casino barges inland. However, with federal/military clean-up, Biloxi began re-building soon after, with 3 casinos re-opened in December 2005, and Beau Rivage plus other hotels/casinos opened in 2006 (see below).^[1] Although the 17-hour hurricane-force winds tore the branches off many oak trees, the tree trunks survived the 30-foot flood, and have since regrown smaller branches, as shade trees when rebuilding on the empty house lots. Some reconstructed homes still have the antebellum appearance, and miles inland, with less flooding, shopping centers have re-opened.

In the center of what fisheries biologists term "The Fertile Fisheries Crescent", Biloxi offers some of the finest sportsfishing along the entire northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Spotted seatrout, red drum, Spanish and king mackerel, flounder, snapper, grouper, sharks, and more are all available to anglers during the fishing season. It is not known how Hurricane Katrina affected this biosystem.

Keesler Air Force Base lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing of the U.S. Air Force.

With the introduction of gambling in Mississippi in the 1990s, Biloxi became an important center for casinos; the hotels and complexes brought millions of dollars in tourism revenue to the city. The more famous casino complexes were the Beau Rivage casino resort, Casino Magic, Grand Casino, Isle of Capri Casino, Boomtown Casino, President Broadwater Casino Resort, and Imperial Palace. Like Tunica County in the northern part of the state, Biloxi and the surrounding Gulf Coast region was considered a leading gambling center in the Southern United States until many casinos were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but several casino-hotels were rebuilt and opened within a year.^[1] Casino Magic is closed permanently, but other casinos still look to open in the area.

The city is home to the Mississippi Sea Wolves, an ECHL minor league hockey team. Biloxi was the birth place and home of the world renowned early American art potter George E. Ohr, who broke new ground in the late 1890s with his experimental modern clay forms.

Biloxi is the birthplace of country singer Chris LeDoux and of actor Eric Roberts. Jimmy Buffett's song about the city is on his breakthrough 1977 album. Afroman mentioned Biloxi in his single "Mississippi".

Colonial era

The history of Biloxi, Mississippi, spans more than 300 years.

The first permanent settlement in French Louisiana was founded at Biloxi in 1699, under the direction of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, with Louisiana separated from Spanish Florida at the Perdido River near Pensacola (founded 1559 & again 1698). In 1720, the capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi from Mobile, which was the first capital of Louisiana, from 1702.

Due to fears of tides and hurricanes, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved by colonial governor Bienville, in 1723, from Biloxi to a new inland harbor town named Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans), built for the purpose in 1718-1720.

In 1763, France had to cede French Louisiana east of the Mississippi River, except for New Orleans, to Great Britain. At that same time, the king Louis XV of France sold Louisiana west of the Mississippi, including New Orleans, to Spain.

Demographics

Biloxi is the smaller of two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulport-Biloxi-Pascagoula Combined Statistical Area.

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 50,644 people, 19,588 households, and 12,379 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,331.8/mi² (514.2/km²). There were 22,115 housing units at an average density of 581.6/mi² (224.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.43% White, 19.04% African American, 0.49% Native American, 5.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. 3.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 19,588 households, out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% are non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size is 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,106, and the median income for a family was $40,685. Males had a median income of $28,046 versus $21,267 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,809. 14.6% of the population and 11.2% of families lived below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Biloxi is served by Gulfport, Mississippi's Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

Education

The City of Biloxi is served by the Biloxi Public School District and the Harrison County School District.

Casinos

Biloxi has become home to several casino resort hotels, with 24-hour gambling, concert entertainment shows, and several restaurants. Some of the casino resorts are the following:^[1]

• Imperial Palace, which re-opened as IP Hotel & Casino^[2] on Dec. 22, 2005;
• Isle of Capri Casino Resort, which re-opened in late December 2005;
• Palace Casino Resort, which re-opened in late December 2005;
• Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, which re-opened August 29, 2006, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina;
• Boomtown Casino, which re-opened in 2006;
• Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which had initially hoped to open for post-Katrina business in Summer 2006, but plans are on hold;
• Treasure Bay Casino Resort, which re-opened in summer 2006;
• Grand Casino (Biloxi), whose owners, Harrah's Entertainment, have notified Mayor A.J. Holloway that the firm plans a billion-dollar resort in Biloxi;
• President Broadwater Casino Resort;
• Casino Magic, which had announced no re-opening plans yet; and,
• Bacaran Bay, which announced plans to begin construction on Caillavet Street.

Transportation

Biloxi's main highway is U.S. Highway 90 (Beach Boulevard), which runs along the beach and by the casinos. It connects the city to Gulfport and points westward and Ocean Springs and Pascagoula to the east. Currently, the Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge across Biloxi Bay is undergoing reconstruction following the destruction of the original bridge by Hurricane Katrina. It is expected to open to traffic in phases between November 2007 and March 2008.

Through the northern sections of the city, Interstate 10 passes through, connecting the city to New Orleans, Louisiana, Houston, Texas, Mobile, Alabama and Jacksonville, Florida. Interstate 110 splits off from I-10 at D'Iberville and heads south across the Back Bay of Biloxi to U.S. 90 near Beau Rivage, providing the city with an important hurricane evacuation route.

Other highways serving the area include:

• Mississippi Highway 15 (Runs concurrent with I-110 for the first few miles)
• Mississippi Highway 67

Hurricane Katrina

Main articles: Hurricane Katrina and Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi

On August 29 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast with high winds, heavy rains and a 30-foot storm surge, causing massive damage to the area. Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 6:56AM, +2.3 feet more.^[3] Commenting on the power of the storm and the damage, Mayor A.J. Holloway said, "This is our tsunami" [1]. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was quoted as saying the destruction of the Mississippi coastline by Hurricane Katrina looked like an American Hiroshima.

On the morning of August 31 2005, in an interview on MSNBC, Governor Barbour stated that 90% of the buildings along the coast in Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport had been destroyed by the hurricane. Several of the "floating" casinos were torn off their supports and thrown inland, contributing to the damage. All coastal churches were destroyed or severely damaged.

Harrison County Coroner Gary T. Hargrove told the mayor and City Council that Hurricane Katrina had claimed 53 victims in Biloxi, as of January 30, 2006. Of the 53 confirmed fatalities in Biloxi, a figure that includes one unidentified male, Hargrove said the average age was 58, with youngest being 22 and oldest, 90; and 14 were females and 39 were males.

Many churches were damaged, including St. Michael's Catholic Church (see photo), which was gutted by the storm surge, breaking the entry doors and stained-glass windows along the first floor; however, the interior was later removed, and the structure was still solid enough to allow repairing the church.

Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, flooding several feet in the Biloxi Public Library and breaking windows, beyond repair, requiring a total rebuild.^[4]

Out of all of the casinos that were located Biloxi, six have reopened since Katrina. They are the Isle of Capri Casino and Resort, the Palace Casino resort, the Imperial Palace, Treasure Bay Casino, Boomtown Casino, and the Beau Rivage, which re-opened on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Tentative re-opening plans for Biloxi casino resorts" (2006), City of Biloxi, www.Biloxi.ms.us, webpage: Biloxi-Casinos.
2. ^ "IP Hotel & Casino" (2006), IPBiloxi.com, web: IP-Casino.
3. ^ "2005 NOAA Tide Predictions: Biloxi (Cadet Point), Biloxi Bay" (2005), tide on 29-Aug-2005, NOAA, web: NOAA-tide-tables.
4. ^ "Hurricane Katrina Related Damages to Public Libraries in Mississippi" (September 2005), Mississippi Library Commission, web:ALA-Katrina.

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