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Complients of Hancock County Chamber of Commerce
History of Hancock County - Page 7
County and city officials as well as industrial develooment organizations a^-e looking a’'ead and planning for the future economic development of the area. Work is progressing on the construction of the new West Hancock County Harbor and Industrial Area located on Mulatto Bayou adjacent to East Pearl River. Cleared zones in the 2,200 acre industrial park are being readied for several industrial Drospects. The main access road leading to U. S. Hiqhway 90 and Interstate Highway 10 has just been paved. The railroad snur will narallel part of this road. Advance nenoti-ations are underway for settlement of tv/o multi-million dollar concerns here that will provide employment for about 1,000 people. One is a metal shipping container manufacturer, and the other is a shipyard. Negotiations are also underway ''o get a small air-oriented industry to locate at Gulf Central-Stennis Field, the county's new jet-age airport.
Diamondhead Properties has acquired 5,500 acres of rolling timberland known as the Gex property, which is located about two or three miles north of Bay St. Louis, on which will rise the largest"residential-resort type recreational develooment ever undertaken in the southern Dart of the United States. The land is some of the highest ground on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with elevations ranging up to 105 feet above mean sea level. It is located between Jourdan River and the Bay of St. Louis with two miles of shoreline on the Bay and nine miles of shoreline on the Jourdan River and Bayou. Mew Interstate Hiqhway 10 will trav? the south-central portion of the tract for a distance of about four miles with an interchange in the center of the project.
The corporation proposes to soend $5,000,000 on phase one of the project to be completed by June, 1970. This v/i 11 include the construction of 10 model homes to be sold at builders' cost, a million dollar country club, an airport, central marina, riding stables, driving range, 18 holes of a 36-hole qolf course, and a condominium apartment comolex.
The master development plan provides for a commercial shopping center, schools, churches, etc., a total investment in excess of $100,000,000. Once comoKt d Diamondhead would be a city of somewhere between 25 and 35 thousand peonle.
The develooment is not just for the rich, but a olace where almost anyone can build a house if he has a minimum of around $12,500 to start. Approximately, 500 persons will be employed in the operation when develooment is complete. This will be a big boost to the economy of the area, and a vital factor in the ro.uilding of a newer and greater Gulf Coast from the rubble of the Hurricane Camille.