[BLX 101]

There are two other photos at sunherald.com. The owner wants to create a mixed-use boulevard at Veterans Avenue, similar to Canal Street in New Orleans. Plans are to widen Veterans to four lanes from Beach Boulevard to Pass Road landscaped with tall palm trees along the sidewalks and the median. The project looks awesome but it will never get aproval for a casino. I'll tell you what is going to happen. As you know, this is a very sensitive and contested issue. I myself have mixed opinions but in the end would have to object. State representative Ishee from Gulfport, just before mayor Holloway vetoed the Tivoli proposal, stated that he would propose a bill that would prevent any future casinos north of the sand beach, which could cause a domino effect and put the entire twenty-six miles of sand beach at risk. There are other condo developers across from the sand beach that has gone on record wanting to incorporate casinos in their projects. The second of three towers at the Ocean Club Condominiums are suppose to be nearing completion at this time but it is on hold indefinitely awaiting the final result of the Tivoli Casino which is not completely dead yet. Mayor Holloway has stated numerous of times, "Not on my watch." And he was recently re-elected for a new term. Just this week, legislators passed a bill that would restrict future casinos to the counties where they are currently legal. I feel that this bill will be ammended to protect the sand beaches along the gulf coast. There are some who are sick of visiting this same issue and want to put an end to it once and for all. If the city could pick and limit sites north of the sand beach to two to three, without causing a domino effect, mayor Holloway would have approved the Tivoli Casino without hesitation. He has sworn to protect Biloxi's sand beach regardless of the amount of revenue the project would generate. One thing is for certain, there are exciting times along with growing pains in the next few months and years as Biloxi entertain the many proposals for its treasured waterfront.