Mayor wants to bring residents, tourists to Waveland
WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) – Waveland Mayor Mike Smith says his focus for the mayor’s office is bringing residents and tourists back to the Coast.
The Sun Herald reports Waveland, like its neighboring cities, has struggled to grow after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina leveled the beachfront town. Some officials estimated 95 percent of its homes were destroyed. Waveland had the Coast’s largest drop in population after the storm — 18 percent immediately after Katrina and by an additional 40 percent between 2010 and 2015. On July 1, it was back to 82 percent of its pre-Katrina number.
Smith talked Thursday to the Hancock Chamber about rebranding the town to attract more tourists and encourage others to settle there.
He says the city is looking at several capital improvement and beautification projects.
