GULFPORT WATERFRONT OPPORTUNITY

A Rare Gulf Coast Destination Development Site

Former Marine Life Oceanarium Property | Gulfport, Mississippi

For decades, this waterfront property was home to the legendary Marine Life Oceanarium, Mississippi's longest-operating oceanarium and one of the Gulf South's most beloved family attractions. Generations of visitors traveled from across Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, and beyond to experience this iconic destination.

Today, this same site stands ready for its next chapter.

Positioned within Gulfport's rapidly transforming waterfront district, this approximately 3.6-acre harbor-front property represents one of the last large-scale destination development opportunities remaining on the Northern Gulf Coast.

Why This Property Matters

In real estate, location is everything. Opportunities like this are increasingly rare.

This property offers:

• ±204.48-foot waterfront parcel, ±136.37-foot supporting parcel frontage, and ±340.85 feet combined frontage
• Direct adjacency to the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor
• Walkability to Downtown Gulfport
• Minutes from the Mississippi Aquarium
• Immediate access to Jones Park and Gulfport Beach
• Visibility from Beach Boulevard and Highway 49 corridors
• A built-in tourism market
• Existing regional name recognition and historical significance

Very few sites along the Gulf Coast combine waterfront access, marina frontage, tourism infrastructure, downtown connectivity, and development scale in a single location.

Gulfport's Transformation is Underway

The area surrounding the property is experiencing unprecedented public and private investment.

Channel South Development

Approximately $105 Million Investment

Located nearby, the Channel South mixed-use development is bringing:

• Residential units
• Hospitality accommodations
• Retail space
• Restaurants
• Structured parking
• Public gathering spaces

This transformative project is expected to increase downtown density, visitation, and economic activity for years to come.

The Markham Hotel Redevelopment

Approximately $30 Million Investment

The historic Markham Hotel has been restored and reopened, adding luxury accommodations, event space, dining experiences, and renewed energy to Downtown Gulfport.

Mississippi Aquarium

One of Mississippi's premier tourism attractions, the Mississippi Aquarium continues to attract visitors from across the Southeast, generating year-round tourism activity and strengthening Gulfport's position as a destination city.

A Marina-Centered Lifestyle

Following Hurricane Katrina, the City of Gulfport invested approximately $19 million to rebuild and modernize the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor.

Reopened in 2011, the harbor now features:

• 319 boat slips
• Fuel dock facilities
• Charter operations
• Recreational boating
• Direct Gulf access
• Walkable waterfront connectivity

For hospitality, entertainment, dining, and mixed-use developers, the marina provides a built-in customer base and year-round activity rarely found in comparable markets.

Strategic Regional Position

Gulfport sits at the center of the Northern Gulf Coast and serves as a regional hub for tourism, commerce, and recreation.

The property benefits from proximity to:

• New Orleans
• Baton Rouge
• Mobile
• Biloxi
• Hattiesburg
• Jackson

The surrounding region draws millions of visitors annually through its beaches, gaming industry, fishing, boating, festivals, entertainment venues, and family attractions.

Traffic, Visibility & Access

The property enjoys exceptional exposure within one of South Mississippi's most traveled corridors.

Traffic Counts

• Approximately 46,000 vehicles per day along the nearby Highway 49 corridor
• Significant local and tourist traffic along Beach Boulevard
• Marina visitors
• Aquarium guests
• Downtown visitors
• Festival and event attendees

This combination of vehicular, pedestrian, boating, and tourism traffic creates a unique opportunity for destination-oriented development.

A Vision for the Future

The conceptual "Gulfport Wharf" illustration was created to demonstrate the potential of this extraordinary site. While the land itself is being offered for sale, the concept highlights how a waterfront destination could capitalize on the property's location, marina access, tourism base, and regional draw.

Potential uses may include:

• Destination dining
• Waterfront entertainment
• Hospitality
• Retail
• Event venues
• Marina-related experiences
• Mixed-use development

The property's size, location, and surrounding investment make it uniquely suited for visionary developers seeking to create a signature destination along the Gulf Coast.

An Opportunity for Destination Developers

Companies such as major hospitality groups, entertainment developers, marina operators, mixed-use developers, and destination-focused investment firms continually seek locations capable of becoming regional landmarks.

Opportunities of this caliber are increasingly scarce.

The former Marine Life Oceanarium property offers something difficult to replicate:

A waterfront site with history, visibility, marina access, tourism infrastructure, downtown connectivity, and the scale necessary to create a truly memorable destination.

As Gulfport continues its upward trajectory, this property stands at the intersection of the city's celebrated past and its promising future.

The land is available. The vision is yours to create.