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Echo staff photo by Dwayne Bremer
Members of the Bay St. Louis City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a nearly $18 million marina project at the foot of Main Street.
Bay Council green-lights marina plan
BY JJR. WELSH Staff Writer
A three-year effort to locate a luxury marina and other improvements in downtown Bay St. Louis prevailed this week when the City Council voted to spend an initial $13.3 million in federal funds for the project, expected to cost a total of about $18 million.
A crowd of about 400 people looked on and 42 members of the public lined up to voice their opinions on the subject at a special council meeting held at Bay High School Thursday night. After the meeting that lasted more than three hours, the crowd had thinned by the time of the
unanimous vote to proceed.
The marina and waterfront improvements project will include a new municipal pier, 165 slips with an average size of 41 feet, fuel docks, and associated buildings. . Under a Tidelands lease agreement with the state, the city can also develop and sub-lease space for restaurants, shops, or other acceptable businesses.
'Something to talk about'
The marina is planned to be located between de Montluzin Street and the CSX Railroad bridge. Proponents are painting the project as a badly-needed economic catalyst that will
•	See MARINA Page 5A