Gulfport, MS

Although it is the second largest city in Mississippi (with a population of around 70,000), Gulfport strives to maintain the feeling of a beachfront community. It takes its name from its location bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Gulfport was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but has worked hard to recover-and in 2008, Forbes ranked the Gulfport area as one of the Best Small Places for Business and Careers. With nearby Biloxi, Gulfport anchors a metro area with more than 200,000 residents, and attracts many tourists to its 26 miles of white-sand beach.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Gulfport is home to the third most active container-shipping port on the Gulf and-with 11 casinos open in the Gulfport/Biloxi area, plus more on the way-it is one of the top gaming destinations in the country. The city is working aggressively to develop new business through economic incentives and tax credits and both Forbes's and Moody's have projected continued economic growth and relatively low unemployment for the area.

Top Gulfport employers are:

• Memorial Hospital
• Island View Casino Resort
• Mississippi Power Company (regional)
• Hancock Bank (regional)
• Gulfport School System
• Naval Construction Battalion Center
• City of Gulfport

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Gulf Coast Symphony: Founded in 1962, this orchestra describes its mission as bringing quality classical music to the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A season of classical music is supplemented with annual holiday concerts.
• Gulfport Little Theater: For more than 60 years, this theater company has provided audiences with varied performances, as well as activities for children.

FOR VISITORS

• Center for Marine Education and Research: Owned and operated by the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, the Center for Marine Education and Research is the only hands-on educational facility of its kind in the state. The facility is home to an interactive museum, a 200-seat auditorium, a veterinary hospital, and more.
• Gulf Islands Water Park: The largest water park on the Gulf Coast! Features include the Horn Island Blaster (the only water-based roller coaster in the area), as well as rafting rides, tube slides, wave pools, and other aquatic amusement attractions.
• Gulfport Dragway: Every week, this quarter-mile drag strip sees racing action featuring cars, trucks, and motorcycles. There are also special event races for Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, and Memorial Day.
• Lynn Meadows Discovery Center: The first children's museum in the state of Mississippi, this facility contains exhibits dedicated to learning about other cultures, experiencing local history, and more. Special initiatives include a Katrina Story Quilts school outreach project, and an interactive exhibit area designed to help children understand disabilities.
• Lighthouse Park: This 56,000-square-foot outdoor area of the Hancock Building features a lighthouse fountain#8212;designed to symbolize the resilience of the Gulf Coast communities in their recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

There are many additional attractions further afield in the Gulfport/Biloxi area, including:

• The Kate Lobrano House: Just a short drive from Gulfport (in Bay St. Louis), this shotgun-style home, filled with period furnishings and photographs, offers a glimpse of Victorian architecture and turn-of-the-century life.
• Beauvoir (The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library): Not to be missed in nearby Biloxi, this historic site offers fascinating insights into the Old South and one of America's best-known historical figures.

EDUCATION

Gulfport is home to the Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC), which offers more than 60 different study programs and has agreements with several four-year schools in the area, allowing students to work towards a bachelor's degree at the Jefferson Davis Campus before transferring elsewhere.

LOCAL MEDIA

There are seven AM and FM radio stations broadcasting from Gulfport:

• WAOY 91.7 FM (religious)
• WUJM 96.7 FM (adult contemporary)
• WGCM 102.3 FM (oldies)
• WXYK 107.1 FM (Top 40)
• WQFX 1130 AM (gospel music)
• WGCM 1240 AM (country)
• WROA 1390 AM (nostalgia)

The two television stations in the area are WLOX-TV Channel 13, an ABC affiliate, and WXXV-TV Channel 25, a Fox affiliate.

The local daily news publication is The Sun Herald, which is headquartered in nearby Biloxi and has a circulation of more than 47,000. In 2006, The Sun Herald won the Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the impact it had on the Gulf Coast area.

GETTING AROUND

The city is home to the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, which provides airline service to roughly 900,000 passengers each year. Originally built in 1942, the airport was one of the many local facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, but repairs were quickly completed and it reopened before the end of the year. The airport has recently undergone extensive renovations and now features more service providers and a higher seating capacity than it did prior to Katrina.