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Biloxi and the Coast


tombarnes

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Architect Frank Gehry says he will lend his talents to the rebuilding of Biloxi. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum currently under construction was heavily damaged. Sadly, the Tullis-Toledano Manor, a handsome 19th century house, was totally destroyed. Here's the link from the Sun Herald......

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/12555173.htm

Edited by tombarnes
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George Ohr, the "Mad Potter" from Biloxi whose strangely shaped and very fragile pottery works were well ahead of the times when produced early in the 20th century. I hope the collection survived the hurricane. Will try to check on that.....Frank Gehry's new museum buildings had been under construction at the time of the hurricane. The Pleasant Reed House, a late 19th century cottage which was also part of the museum complex, was destroyed. Ironically, the Grand Casino barge landed on top of it.

Edited by tombarnes
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  • 2 weeks later...
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I can't believe legislators are dragging their feet like that, especially considering how much tax revenue is being lost each day! This is an interesting development, because the tone of last week's new gave the impression that on-land casinos were essentially guaranteed to pass.

Also, great news on Duany! We've finally gotten to see some of his firm's plans used in Miami, and the most recent project of theirs is a total rewriting of the city zoning code. This is definitely the right time to start thinking about better design and planning, and with gas prices on the rise there is certainly a dire need to take a serious look at the way we live and work.

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I think the plans for Biloxi's new casinos will be substantial. I am also not sure that casinos will excatly take off in New Orleans in the way Nagin imagines. The enormous Harrah's has always been something of a disappointment in terms of revenue. There may be more casinos in New Orleans, but I don't see them as the major generators of the economy there. New Orleans should capitalize upon other strengths and assets before putting all of its eggs in the casino basket.

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I think the plans for Biloxi's new casinos will be substantial. I am also not sure that casinos will excatly take off in New Orleans in the way Nagin imagines. The enormous Harrah's has always been something of a disappointment in terms of revenue. There may be more casinos in New Orleans, but I don't see them as the major generators of the economy there. New Orleans should capitalize upon other strengths and assets before putting all of its eggs in the casino basket.

I agree 1000%. The plan was made out of desperation, and it's evident.

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I hate to say this, but if Ray Nagin gets his way, New Orleans will steal the lion's share of Mississippi's casino business. I hope his plan gets changed drastically. The location is wrong.

But, his plan will not make it through the legislature, IMO.

Well, I dont necessarily think its's a bad idea, but I think that New Orleans should start to focus on a greater business presence in the N.O. economy, we have already put to many eggs in the tourism basket. I agree with you TSmith in that this plan will not make it through the state legislature. A large part of north Louisiana legislaturer's are opposed to gambling in the first place, and legislaturer's from other parts of the state who may not be opposed to idea, will vote it down because it would suck money out of their casinos, and their economies. And legislaturer's from some areas of the state will vote the plan down because it would suck all of the money out of the Indian casino's or truck stop casinos in their area. I think that if we had a strong governor, the idea might go through, the governor might be able to sway the idea in the "yes" direction, but we have Kathleen Blanco, who is in no way a strong governor.

Edited by NCB
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I agree with Tom. Casinos is not the way to go Mr Nagin. New Orleans has so many other rich historical themes it can play up. Casinos may be quick cash but please don't turn New Orleans into a southern Las Vegas. There is just too much rich historical value. I would play up the history.......there is no city in the US like New Orleans. Nagin should hire all the best PR firms and make cozy with developers with money.

New Orleans may never be as economically diverse as it used to be but finding that niche and feeling it will open the city back up and provide jobs.

What are the city's plan for Mardi Gras?

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What are the city's plan for Mardi Gras?

Lady Celeste, I hope you will join everyone at Mardi Gras 2006! :)

There will be a Mardi Gras in New Orleans this year, though slightly smaller than it normally is.

You have know idea how great it will be for me to see floats driving through New Orleans, tourists having a great time, drunk people walking around and annoying people(never thought I'd say that!) and of course, to see the king of Carnival himself riding on his float in the Rex Parade! :D

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I see a boom coming for casinos around the Mississippi coast. I think that if it is handled properly and is not overdone, building some more major casinos around the Mississippi coast would not be a bad idea. This is like what is going on in New Orleans in some ways, I think it would work out, if their is good leadership.

Edited by NCB
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It could be a good thing, if it is handled properly. I hope the design charrettes they are going to have in various parts of the Gulf Coast amount to something more than window dressing. I would really like to see some "new urbanism" come out of this tragedy. If there must be Waffle Houses and WalMarts, at least they should be designed differently.

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The local Biloxi paper has a piece on private efforts to coordinate rebuilding on the Mississippi coast: http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/12887683.htm. The design coordinator is Duany, and the chairman, Jim Barksdale, runs the local newspaper. This effort is funded by the Knight Foundation (of Knight-Ridder papers). Nevertheless, the list of architects and urban planners is impressive and promising.

Why do I have to go to "Louisiana" to find any discussion of Mississippi???

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