Biloxi Wants More of Tidelands Money
The city of Biloxi is applying for a larger amount of the tidelands fund, $14.8 million to be exact. Casinos and other Biloxi businesses paid 84 percent of the total tidelands fund last fiscal year but the city received only a small portion of that money back.
News 25’s Kendra Turley has our full report on what is encouraging the city to apply for such a large portion of money.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann delivers a tidelands check to the Gulf Coast every year. The Department of Marine Resources is then responsible for determining exactly how that money is spent. “Between May 31st and July 1st, we take applications from the cities, counties, the universities, all of those entities can apply for tideland funds,” said Melissa Scallan with the DMR.
The majority of the money collected comes from casinos. Biloxi operates eight of the Gulf Coast’s 12 casinos, generating about 84 percent of money in the tidelands fund. However, the city only receives about seven percent of that money back. City of Biloxi Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel said, “The city of Biloxi revenue has paid for boat launches and piers from Waveland all the way to Moss Point.”
Now, the city is working to increase the amount of money it pockets, applying for $14.75 million in tideland funds. The money would be used toward perspective projects such as a festival market place and boardwalk on Back Bay, an expansion at Point Cadet Marina, and new open air pavilions and boat launches along the Coast. “Our projects are about strategic investments so that we can create jobs, give better access to the water front and show a better return for tidelands,” said Creel.
DMR officials tell News 25 the amount of money the Gulf Coast generates from tidelands leases varies from year to year. So, although Biloxi is applying for $14.8 million, it’s not guaranteed there will be that much money to distribute.
Of the 58 tideland applications from across the Coast, Biloxi has two rated in the top ten and six rated in the top 20.
News 25’s Kendra Turley has our full report on what is encouraging the city to apply for such a large portion of money.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann delivers a tidelands check to the Gulf Coast every year. The Department of Marine Resources is then responsible for determining exactly how that money is spent. “Between May 31st and July 1st, we take applications from the cities, counties, the universities, all of those entities can apply for tideland funds,” said Melissa Scallan with the DMR.
The majority of the money collected comes from casinos. Biloxi operates eight of the Gulf Coast’s 12 casinos, generating about 84 percent of money in the tidelands fund. However, the city only receives about seven percent of that money back. City of Biloxi Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel said, “The city of Biloxi revenue has paid for boat launches and piers from Waveland all the way to Moss Point.”
Now, the city is working to increase the amount of money it pockets, applying for $14.75 million in tideland funds. The money would be used toward perspective projects such as a festival market place and boardwalk on Back Bay, an expansion at Point Cadet Marina, and new open air pavilions and boat launches along the Coast. “Our projects are about strategic investments so that we can create jobs, give better access to the water front and show a better return for tidelands,” said Creel.
DMR officials tell News 25 the amount of money the Gulf Coast generates from tidelands leases varies from year to year. So, although Biloxi is applying for $14.8 million, it’s not guaranteed there will be that much money to distribute.
Of the 58 tideland applications from across the Coast, Biloxi has two rated in the top ten and six rated in the top 20.
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