Mississippi Aquarium in downtown Gulfport is set to debut April 30, and the much-anticipated amusement park at Margaritaville Resort Biloxi follows by the end of the year or in early 2021.More than $300 million in commercial construction permits were issued in the three Coast counties this year, which is 60% over 2018 levels.

Here are the big openings and closings on the Coast in 2019:
▪ It was a year when Ingalls Shipbuilding launched a major expansion, adding fabrication shops and covered production areas while preparing to reopen the east shipyard in 2020.
▪ Memorial Hospital at Gulfport went on a spending spree, acquiring nursing homes, a surgery center and clinics and taking over operations at the Stone County hospital.
▪ The first full year of sports betting energized Coast casinos, bringing Topgolf Swing Suite virtual golf to the Beau Rivage and new sportsbooks and bars to the Beau, IP, Harrah’s, Boomtown and other casinos.
▪ Members of the rock band KISS partnered with the developers of Rock & Brews to plans and build a casino in East Biloxi.
▪ New retail centers in Ocean Springs brought restaurants and stores to the Shoppes at Washington Ave. and The Village Shopping Center.
▪ Hilton Garden Inn opened on Beach Boulevard in Biloxi, across from the Small Craft Harbor.
▪ Car dealerships flourished, especially along I-10, where CarMax, Champion Dodge Chrysler and Ray Brandt Nissan of South Mississippi opened.
▪ The new Rouses Supermarket on Pass Road in Gulfport was so popular when it opened in June that police had to direct traffic for several days as shoppers converged to be among the first to try the convenience food section and other new features.
▪ The first buildings and condos opened at The Inlet, a mixed use development on U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs, and Keg & Barrel restaurant will be opening there in early 2020.
▪ In downtown Gulfport, the old Cadillac Club on 27th Avenue has a restaurant on the first floor, commercial space on the second and two floors of rental units.
▪ Lighthouse Assisted Living and Memory Care opened on Ocean Springs Road and already is expanding.
▪ The Estate at River Bend, a new residential treatment center for substance abuse, opened near Lucedale.
Closings
It wasn’t all positive news for Coast businesses, as several closed in 2019. Among them were:
▪ Josette’s Costume Shop in Biloxi closed after 47 years, hurt by Amazon and other online retailers.
▪ Great Southern Club filed for bankruptcy, and the golf course remains open but the restaurant closed.
▪ Cat Island Cookies in Pass Christian went out of business.
▪ Biloxi Brewing Co., maker of Biloxi Blonde and other craft beers, stopped production.
▪ Bassett Furniture in Gulfport had a liquidation sale and closed after 15 years.
▪ 27th Avenue Bistro, Gulfport, closed after Coast chef David Dickensauge moved out of the area.

Coming attractions
It promises to be a year of ribbon cuttings and grand opening on the Coast. Here’s what’s on the way:
▪ April 30 is the date set for the opening of the Mississippi Aquarium in downtown Gulfport, and with it will be a new Coast Transit intermodal transit center in the restored library next door, and a bridge and tram over U.S. 90 to Jones Park.
▪ Margaritaville Resort Biloxi’s $200 million expansion is underway, with the base going up for an amusement park, complete with a towering Ferris wheel and the country’s first Aerobar as part of the first phase.
▪ Centennial Plaza already has two hotels, a waterpark, restaurants and other amenities. Now watch for the restoration of more buildings, with one being transformed into an arcade and entertainment center.

▪ Two highly-anticipated new hotels coming next year are The Pearl Hotel, being developed by Cure Land Co. in downtown Bay St. Louis, with balconies overlooking the waterfront and nightlife, and The Hotel Legends Biloxi, an all-suite hotel in the downtown with a poolside light show.

▪ Majestic RV Park under construction on Veterans Avenue in Biloxi promises to have a unique pool and several other unique water amenities.
▪ A new parking lot completed on the west side of Treasure Bay Casino allows for the start of an expansion on the east side. It will begin with a new parking garage and then an addition to the casino.
▪ Downtown Biloxi is being revitalized. Watch for the new Community Bank, a new use for the old Magnolia Hotel, for work to continue on the exterior renovations at Saenger Theatre and the transformation turn long-empty downtown buildings into The District on Howard.
▪ New senior communities going up in South Mississippi are The Blake in Biloxi and Summerfield Senior Living in Gulfport, along with a new veterans home at Tradition.