...Who would have thought back in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated
so much of South Mississippi, that 15 years later it would have rebounded this
way.
...By 2020 the Mississippi Coast has become, most notably, a key part of an
internationally known aerospace corridor that runs from New Orleans to
Northwest Florida. It hosts operations of the world’s largest aerospace
companies involved in everything from space exploration to aircraft
manufacturing. But that’s not all.
...A drive along Interstate 10 is indicative of change. To both the north and
south, technology parks that were just beginning in 2005 are now an integral
part of the local and regional economy, providing space for companies
supplying high-paying jobs for South Mississippians and commuters alike. Yet
with all the growth along the corridor, South Mississippi still has retained
much of what it once was.
West I-10
...Coming in from the west along I-10, the first sign of the new South
Mississippi is the INFINITY Science Center at Exit 2. The modern structure
is a nod to the science and technology that plays such a crucial role in South
Mississippi, and has become a “must see,” particularly the 3D immersive
theater. At the center, visitors get to learn about fields as varied as marine
science and space exploration.
...To the north is the huge John C. Stennis Space Center, which always has
and always will be a bit insulated from the general public, despite all the
intense scientific activity there. It’s where rockets carrying humans to space
are tested, and where the engines that power earth-bound aircraft are tested.
...A short drive to the east and the buildings of Stennis Technology Park
appear past the tree-lined Stennis buffer zone. It was created as a home for
companies that work closely with Stennis Space Center, but who want the
freedom to receive visitors who don’t have to pass through gate security.
...Just to the north of the park is Stennis International Airport and Airpark.
One of the key operations for years has been the Joint Airborne Lidar
Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise, which conducts surveys using
airborne lidar bathymetry and related technologies. But the biggest change was
when the airport, with one of the longest runways in the state, landed a major
aerospace manufacturer. It wasn’t really much of a surprise since the park had
been a finalist back in the early 2000s when Boeing was looking for a site for
the Dreamliner. Then later it was a finalist for the EADS tanker project. Now
it has its own world-class aircraft company.
...What that win did was expand the aircraft manufacturing cluster from the
Moss Point/Mobile area all the way to Stennis International Airport. Who
could have foreseen in 2006, when Northrop Grumman opened its unmanned
systems center in Moss Point, that it would simply be the first of the new
generation of aircraft plants? That, along with the supplier network it
attracted, altered the future of this region in the same way the auto industry
altered the future of other parts of the Southeast.
Central I-10
...Upon leaving the Stennis region – and not even driving along rapidly-
developing Mississippi 603 to the south – the development thins out and gives
the visitor a taste of what the whole stretch was like before the heavy
development post-Katrina. While development has continued at each of the
interchanges, it’s not until just before Gulfport’s I-10 and U.S. 49 interchange
that the new South Mississippi picks up again.
...Just to the north of I-10 and west of U.S. 49 the new coast campus of the
University of Southern Mississippi is still being built. Some of it is already
occupied. Recognition of the potential of South Mississippi prompted leaders
of the post-Katrina era to recognize the value of turning the campus not only
into a key center for Southern Miss, but one where other research universities
could provide their own brand of expertise.
...A key operation at the campus is a joint research center that has experts in
aerospace, shipbuilding, geospatial technologies, computer science, advanced
materials and marine science. It’s a location where the separate disciplines can
come together to work on complex issues.
...To the north of the Southern Miss campus, Tradition has developed its own
education center, thanks in part to the presence of a William Carey University
campus. Further to the north in Stone County is the main campus of
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which is key to training the
current generation of high-tech workers.
...To the south along U.S. 49 and out of sight is the Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport, which has traditionally played a vital role in economic
development, but of late has also become something of an aerospace magnet
itself, in part because of its new office and light industrial park. It has
managed to build upon the presence of the Air National Guard.
...Further to the east is Bernard Bayou Industrial District, which has continued
to build on its industrial mix, including those involved in the booming oil and
gas exploration field. Some of the newcomers, both to Bernard Bayou and to
other areas along the interstate, are involved in defense technologies, thanks in
part to the activities at Biloxi’s Keesler Air Force Base and its major new
command.
East I-10
...Further east, just past the Pascagoula River is the exit one would take to
head south to Pascagoula, where shipbuilding is one of the most important
industries. There’s Northrop Grumman and VT Halter Marine, both working
on the current generation of high-tech intensive military vessels. Once seen as
heavy industries that required mainly strong backs, that began to change as
ships became more technological. A problem with finding workers post-
Katrina prompted those with a vision to create in Gautier an academy that
specialized in training workers for both the shipbuilding and aerospace
industry. Now it operates satellite training centers across South Mississippi.
...To the north of I-10, another beneficiary of that academy is the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center at Trent Lott Aviation Technology
Park. It’s still the biggest player in UAVs in this area, but the presence of the
center and the hands-on involvement of Mississippi State University prompted
other companies involved in the field to set up operations in the Moss Point
area. One of the key attractions is the ability to do product flight testing in
South Mississippi. The first approval came back in 2008, when the FAA gave
the go-ahead to flight test the Fire Scout.
...Further to the east in Alabama, Brookley Industrial Complex has become a
key center for aircraft fabrication. Despite all the political wrangling over the
Air Force tanker contract, that whole controversy put a lot of eyes on Mobile
and what it had to offer when it came to building aircraft. Large hangars
housing aircraft manufacturing operations now dot the landscape and are
visible from Interstate 10. As expected, those manufacturing operations have
attracted suppliers, with the spillover going into South Mississippi and
Northwest Florida.
...The interest of EADS in Mobile led more foreign companies to take a look
at the Central Gulf Coast as a location for American subsidiaries. Foreign
workers complained over the loss of jobs to America, but it was all part of the
reality of the global economy.
...Much of what’s happened in South Mississippi in the years after Hurricane
Katrina can’t be seen from the interstate.
To the south
...South of the interstate, towards the beach, it’s an entirely different world.
This is still, by many measures, the “old” coast of Mississippi. It’s become
one of the most popular tourist destinations in the nation. It’s where more
than 25 major casino/entertainment complexes are located, drawing millions of
visitors each year. In addition to the casinos, there’s the Ohr-O’Keefe
Museum of the Arts, three dozen championship golf courses, the “Nature
Experience” in the Pascagoula River basin and more. It’s a top tier convention
destination, drawing major conventions and exhibitions to the 500,000 square
foot beachfront Convention Center, the 250,000 square foot Exhibit Hall and
the 25,000 seat Coliseum on I-10.
...It’s also home to a lot of high-rise condominium “villages,” complete with
restaurants, retail and entertainment centers that dot the beachfront. There
was, of course, some resistance to that, but eventually it became clear that it
was wise not to build low-rise homes and businesses in areas that could be
deluged by another Katrina-like hurricane. But wise decisions also allowed old
communities to come back to a large extent, many adopting the styles
proposed by the new urbanists who came to South Mississippi to show new
ways of doing things. What made this particularly effective are the multi-
model transportation systems – buses, trolleys, water taxis and monorails –
that have become attractions themselves.
...The plans of the new urbanists developed just a short time after Katrina
may not have been adopted in toto, but then again, that never really was the
plan. The idea was to show residents that there was a different way to
approach rebuilding, and that consideration should be given to creating, where
possible, walkable urban areas. In fact, there are enough new urban examples
that many people point to South Mississippi because it has so many examples
of new urban thinking.
To the north
...What is also interesting is that the counties to the north of the urbanized
coast have become by now the “hot” areas for development. It started slowly
at first, but by 2020 it has kicked into high gear. Part of the appeal is that the
counties to the north still retain much of the rural character that made them
appealing in the first place.
...George, Pearl River and Stone counties have always been closely linked to
the three counties to the south. It’s the area where prices are generally lower,
the pace is slower and land is available. This is still, to a large extent, the old
South. But advances in telecommunications have made this area appealing to
people who can make a good living by working from home.
...Right at the center of the three counties is Stone, long the place you drive
through on the way to Hattiesburg. That’s changed now. The growth of U.S.
49 and the stronger links between Hattiesburg and the Coast had the inevitable
impact of making Stone County a hot spot.
...The presence of the main campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community
College made it natural for Stone County to promote itself as the place where
the next generation of workers are trained. It’s also the location of a General
Dynamics plant that has now increased its production line to include a host of
products designed for the military.
...To the east of Stone County, George County is in the enviable position of
being a rural area with rolling hills in the middle of high-growth Mobile,
Pascagoula/Moss Point and Hattiesburg. The intersection of Mississippi 63
and U.S. 98 is now considered a prime location for companies with interests
in either Mobile, Pascagoula or Hattiesburg.
...Pearl River County, right next to the Louisiana state line, was an early
beneficiary of the Hurricane Katrina-prompted flight to higher ground. While it
had no large parcel of land to offer to big companies, it was smart enough to
develop smaller, campus-like parks that appealed to low-profile, technology
companies working with interests at both Stennis Space Center and Michoud.
In fact, it has made a big point to recruit start-up companies involved in the
geospatial technologies field. - David Tortorano, Tcp
July 2008
so much of South Mississippi, that 15 years later it would have rebounded this
way.
...By 2020 the Mississippi Coast has become, most notably, a key part of an
internationally known aerospace corridor that runs from New Orleans to
Northwest Florida. It hosts operations of the world’s largest aerospace
companies involved in everything from space exploration to aircraft
manufacturing. But that’s not all.
...A drive along Interstate 10 is indicative of change. To both the north and
south, technology parks that were just beginning in 2005 are now an integral
part of the local and regional economy, providing space for companies
supplying high-paying jobs for South Mississippians and commuters alike. Yet
with all the growth along the corridor, South Mississippi still has retained
much of what it once was.
West I-10
...Coming in from the west along I-10, the first sign of the new South
Mississippi is the INFINITY Science Center at Exit 2. The modern structure
is a nod to the science and technology that plays such a crucial role in South
Mississippi, and has become a “must see,” particularly the 3D immersive
theater. At the center, visitors get to learn about fields as varied as marine
science and space exploration.
...To the north is the huge John C. Stennis Space Center, which always has
and always will be a bit insulated from the general public, despite all the
intense scientific activity there. It’s where rockets carrying humans to space
are tested, and where the engines that power earth-bound aircraft are tested.
...A short drive to the east and the buildings of Stennis Technology Park
appear past the tree-lined Stennis buffer zone. It was created as a home for
companies that work closely with Stennis Space Center, but who want the
freedom to receive visitors who don’t have to pass through gate security.
...Just to the north of the park is Stennis International Airport and Airpark.
One of the key operations for years has been the Joint Airborne Lidar
Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise, which conducts surveys using
airborne lidar bathymetry and related technologies. But the biggest change was
when the airport, with one of the longest runways in the state, landed a major
aerospace manufacturer. It wasn’t really much of a surprise since the park had
been a finalist back in the early 2000s when Boeing was looking for a site for
the Dreamliner. Then later it was a finalist for the EADS tanker project. Now
it has its own world-class aircraft company.
...What that win did was expand the aircraft manufacturing cluster from the
Moss Point/Mobile area all the way to Stennis International Airport. Who
could have foreseen in 2006, when Northrop Grumman opened its unmanned
systems center in Moss Point, that it would simply be the first of the new
generation of aircraft plants? That, along with the supplier network it
attracted, altered the future of this region in the same way the auto industry
altered the future of other parts of the Southeast.
Central I-10
...Upon leaving the Stennis region – and not even driving along rapidly-
developing Mississippi 603 to the south – the development thins out and gives
the visitor a taste of what the whole stretch was like before the heavy
development post-Katrina. While development has continued at each of the
interchanges, it’s not until just before Gulfport’s I-10 and U.S. 49 interchange
that the new South Mississippi picks up again.
...Just to the north of I-10 and west of U.S. 49 the new coast campus of the
University of Southern Mississippi is still being built. Some of it is already
occupied. Recognition of the potential of South Mississippi prompted leaders
of the post-Katrina era to recognize the value of turning the campus not only
into a key center for Southern Miss, but one where other research universities
could provide their own brand of expertise.
...A key operation at the campus is a joint research center that has experts in
aerospace, shipbuilding, geospatial technologies, computer science, advanced
materials and marine science. It’s a location where the separate disciplines can
come together to work on complex issues.
...To the north of the Southern Miss campus, Tradition has developed its own
education center, thanks in part to the presence of a William Carey University
campus. Further to the north in Stone County is the main campus of
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which is key to training the
current generation of high-tech workers.
...To the south along U.S. 49 and out of sight is the Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport, which has traditionally played a vital role in economic
development, but of late has also become something of an aerospace magnet
itself, in part because of its new office and light industrial park. It has
managed to build upon the presence of the Air National Guard.
...Further to the east is Bernard Bayou Industrial District, which has continued
to build on its industrial mix, including those involved in the booming oil and
gas exploration field. Some of the newcomers, both to Bernard Bayou and to
other areas along the interstate, are involved in defense technologies, thanks in
part to the activities at Biloxi’s Keesler Air Force Base and its major new
command.
East I-10
...Further east, just past the Pascagoula River is the exit one would take to
head south to Pascagoula, where shipbuilding is one of the most important
industries. There’s Northrop Grumman and VT Halter Marine, both working
on the current generation of high-tech intensive military vessels. Once seen as
heavy industries that required mainly strong backs, that began to change as
ships became more technological. A problem with finding workers post-
Katrina prompted those with a vision to create in Gautier an academy that
specialized in training workers for both the shipbuilding and aerospace
industry. Now it operates satellite training centers across South Mississippi.
...To the north of I-10, another beneficiary of that academy is the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center at Trent Lott Aviation Technology
Park. It’s still the biggest player in UAVs in this area, but the presence of the
center and the hands-on involvement of Mississippi State University prompted
other companies involved in the field to set up operations in the Moss Point
area. One of the key attractions is the ability to do product flight testing in
South Mississippi. The first approval came back in 2008, when the FAA gave
the go-ahead to flight test the Fire Scout.
...Further to the east in Alabama, Brookley Industrial Complex has become a
key center for aircraft fabrication. Despite all the political wrangling over the
Air Force tanker contract, that whole controversy put a lot of eyes on Mobile
and what it had to offer when it came to building aircraft. Large hangars
housing aircraft manufacturing operations now dot the landscape and are
visible from Interstate 10. As expected, those manufacturing operations have
attracted suppliers, with the spillover going into South Mississippi and
Northwest Florida.
...The interest of EADS in Mobile led more foreign companies to take a look
at the Central Gulf Coast as a location for American subsidiaries. Foreign
workers complained over the loss of jobs to America, but it was all part of the
reality of the global economy.
...Much of what’s happened in South Mississippi in the years after Hurricane
Katrina can’t be seen from the interstate.
To the south
...South of the interstate, towards the beach, it’s an entirely different world.
This is still, by many measures, the “old” coast of Mississippi. It’s become
one of the most popular tourist destinations in the nation. It’s where more
than 25 major casino/entertainment complexes are located, drawing millions of
visitors each year. In addition to the casinos, there’s the Ohr-O’Keefe
Museum of the Arts, three dozen championship golf courses, the “Nature
Experience” in the Pascagoula River basin and more. It’s a top tier convention
destination, drawing major conventions and exhibitions to the 500,000 square
foot beachfront Convention Center, the 250,000 square foot Exhibit Hall and
the 25,000 seat Coliseum on I-10.
...It’s also home to a lot of high-rise condominium “villages,” complete with
restaurants, retail and entertainment centers that dot the beachfront. There
was, of course, some resistance to that, but eventually it became clear that it
was wise not to build low-rise homes and businesses in areas that could be
deluged by another Katrina-like hurricane. But wise decisions also allowed old
communities to come back to a large extent, many adopting the styles
proposed by the new urbanists who came to South Mississippi to show new
ways of doing things. What made this particularly effective are the multi-
model transportation systems – buses, trolleys, water taxis and monorails –
that have become attractions themselves.
...The plans of the new urbanists developed just a short time after Katrina
may not have been adopted in toto, but then again, that never really was the
plan. The idea was to show residents that there was a different way to
approach rebuilding, and that consideration should be given to creating, where
possible, walkable urban areas. In fact, there are enough new urban examples
that many people point to South Mississippi because it has so many examples
of new urban thinking.
To the north
...What is also interesting is that the counties to the north of the urbanized
coast have become by now the “hot” areas for development. It started slowly
at first, but by 2020 it has kicked into high gear. Part of the appeal is that the
counties to the north still retain much of the rural character that made them
appealing in the first place.
...George, Pearl River and Stone counties have always been closely linked to
the three counties to the south. It’s the area where prices are generally lower,
the pace is slower and land is available. This is still, to a large extent, the old
South. But advances in telecommunications have made this area appealing to
people who can make a good living by working from home.
...Right at the center of the three counties is Stone, long the place you drive
through on the way to Hattiesburg. That’s changed now. The growth of U.S.
49 and the stronger links between Hattiesburg and the Coast had the inevitable
impact of making Stone County a hot spot.
...The presence of the main campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community
College made it natural for Stone County to promote itself as the place where
the next generation of workers are trained. It’s also the location of a General
Dynamics plant that has now increased its production line to include a host of
products designed for the military.
...To the east of Stone County, George County is in the enviable position of
being a rural area with rolling hills in the middle of high-growth Mobile,
Pascagoula/Moss Point and Hattiesburg. The intersection of Mississippi 63
and U.S. 98 is now considered a prime location for companies with interests
in either Mobile, Pascagoula or Hattiesburg.
...Pearl River County, right next to the Louisiana state line, was an early
beneficiary of the Hurricane Katrina-prompted flight to higher ground. While it
had no large parcel of land to offer to big companies, it was smart enough to
develop smaller, campus-like parks that appealed to low-profile, technology
companies working with interests at both Stennis Space Center and Michoud.
In fact, it has made a big point to recruit start-up companies involved in the
geospatial technologies field. - David Tortorano, Tcp
July 2008
Mississippi Gulf Coast 2020
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Editor's note: It's always risky to predict the future. But this issue of
Alliance Insight attempts to paint one possible vision of the future South
Mississippi by 2020.
Alliance Insight attempts to paint one possible vision of the future South
Mississippi by 2020.