Reports - Mississippi Renewal

80 | TOURISMto the state average of 5.7 percent.Although the scope of Governor’sCommission includes more than 30counties and the Tourism Committeeincluded members from throughoutthe affected region, these planning recommendationsare directed primarily atthe three coastal counties of Hancock,Harrison, and Jackson. Tourism—includingthe gaming, hospitality, andhospitality-support sectors – employsmore people and provides more directand indirect tax revenue in this threecountyarea than any other segmentof the economy. 5 The consequences oftransforming the Mississippi Gulf Coastinto an internationally recognized destination,however, will benefit the otheraffected counties and entire state.Katrina not only altered the landscapeof the Coast but wreaked havoc on thisimportant sector of the state’s economy.The DamageMost tourist attractions sit alongHighway 90 near the beachfront, andthe entire 76-mile beachfront area wasinundated with tidal surge. The heavylosses include:■ Casinos: All 13 casinos in Harrisonand Hancock Counties were destroyedor heavily damaged and maynot be fully operational for months.While most casinos have committedto rebuild, not all have announceddefinite plans and schedules.■ Hotels: An inventory of 16,982 availablerooms showed that only 4,421(26 percent) were operating onemonth after the storm. 6■ The Beach: The shallow waters of theMississippi Sound and the 26-mileman-made beach, the major touristattraction in South Mississippi, areA snapshotof Mississippitourism beforeKatrinaIn 2004:■ Tourism accounted for92,400 jobs, 8.3% of allnon-farm jobs in thestate, and generated anannual payroll of $1.7billion.■ Almost 31 million tourists—84percent of whomcame from out of state—spent $6.1 billiion.■ Tourism-related taxes of$471 million accountedfor 10.3 percent of thestate’s General Fund.Source:Mississippi Development Authority.FY2004 Economic Impact ofTourism. 2004.littered with debris and will require amajor cleanup.■ Highway 90: Not only the Coast’smajor east-west traffic artery, but theonly access to most tourist attractions,the beachfront highway wasclosed across Harrison County dueto storm damage. Portions of Highway90 have reopened, but the twohighway bridges connecting HarrisonCounty to Jackson and HancockCounties were destroyed and remainclosed. The Popps Ferry Bridge connectingBiloxi across the bay openedon Christmas weekend.■ Museums/Cultural Attractions:Richard Moe, president of the NationalTrust for Historic Preservation,called Hurricane Katrina“the worst cultural disaster in U.S.history.” 7 Among the most visitedattractions, the Lynn Meadows DiscoveryCenter, the Frank Gehry-designedOhr-O’Keefe Museum of Art,Walter Anderson Museum of Art,and Maritime & Seafood IndustryMuseum all suffered major damage.Only the Walter Anderson Museumhas reopened. Beauvoir suffered majorwind and flood damage and willtake well over a year to recover. Grasslawn,the Mardi Gras Museum in theMagnolia Hotel, and Tullis-ToledanoManor were all heavily damaged ordestroyed by flood and winds. All buttwo branch libraries were flooded.The Hancock County Historical Societysuffered major roof damage andlost all exhibits. The J.L. Scott MarineEducation Center in Biloxi and MarineLife Oceanarium in Gulfportwere heavily damaged by tidal surges.