Long Beach Economic Growth on the Rise

Things in Long Beach are looking up. Members of the community gathered Thursday morning for the annual Second Cup, where many were recognized for their services.

Long Beach Mayor, Billie Skellie, also gave an update on the city’s economic progress since Hurricane Katrina. Long Beach patrolman, Justin Ford, went from rookie cop to Long Beach police officer of the year in just four short years.

Officer Ford says he couldn’t have reached this achievement without the support of his family. Ford says, "It involves a lot of time. You have to have a strong support system, your family. If your family’s not behind you for the long hours you put in, you’ll never be successful at this job, and you have to have a good administration and good fellow coworkers to support you along your way to be successful."

Mayor Skellie was one of dozens on hand at the State of the City Address. Before Officer Ford’s award presentation, the Mayor took to the podium to share some more good news about the bustling growth of the city. Skellie says, "We have 19 new businesses and I think I said 37 residential building permits in the last ten months. I think it’s pretty big and pretty big across the Coast."

According to Mayor Skellie, development has been tough in the coastal cities since Katrina, but he says he’s excited to see confidence coming back. Skellie also says, "Some of its south of the CSX, which is a testimony to people being interested again in areas that were severely hurt by the hurricane. It’s been nine years, but they are starting to show up."

Mayor Skellie says a group of strategists will be visiting Long Beach next year to come up with an economic development plan to promote growth in the city. Skellie closes, "Mississippi Power Company is helping us put together an economic development package and a familiarization, probably a bus tour of people to look at our community."

The Mayor also touched on how the city has landed top spots in various state surveys, including best place to live, best place to raise a family, and the 4th safest city. The Mayor says it wouldn’t be possible without the help of the community and those who serve it. The Long Beach Harbor is also set to open soon, after two years of setbacks.