Mississippi Coast Coliseum awarded Restore Acts Funds
The Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center is one of the recipients of a portion of those funds.
After being selected as part of the latest round of Restore Act Fund distributions, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center will receive over $1.5 million to make improvements to parking lot security and safety to help ensure the protection of the over 400,000 guests the Coliseum welcomes annually. Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center Assistant Executive Director Michelle Menningham said, “In today’s world safety is huge in the live entertainment industry and in what we do here, our guests’ safety and peace of mind coming to an event is our priority.”
The project will replace 44-year-old existing light fixtures throughout the parking lots and outer concourse with high intensity lighting as well as additional security cameras.
More magentometers and wands for checking attendees entering the coliseum and convention center will also be installed. “So not only in arena events, but also convention center events we’ll be able to scan everybody that’s coming in the facility when we’re doing multiple events and that’s been something we haven’t had the inventory to do and now we will be capable of doing that.”
In 2016, the coliseum was awarded $3.2 million in Restore Act money which went to many improvements including a new scoreboard and grid system to allow for bigger shows like the Kiss concert.
Despite these upgrades, there are still a handful of shows the coliseum has not been able to host due to certain safety requirements. “Now we’re going to be able to host these events and we’re going to be able to facilitate growth on the Gulf Coast.”
No timeline for the project is set at this moment, however, one could be expected by late spring.
