<body><div><h2>Transformative Gulfport Town Center development underway </h2>Gulfport Town Center, the transformative mixed-use district planned for the historic site of the Great Southern Hotel, celebrated a ceremonial groundbreaking on Friday, March 20 in downtown Gulfport. The project, led by AnderCorp, LLC and Bellamare Development, will represent one of the most significant investments in the city in a generation, said officials, and the development will bring together luxury residences, curated retail and dining, and a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel on the historic grounds that helped shape Gulfport’s identity.“Few sites carry more meaning to Gulfport than this one,” read a release about the ceremony. “The Great Southern Hotel stood as a symbol of the city’s ambition—a landmark that welcomed generations of visitors to the Gulf Coast. The new district honors that legacy while creating something that will serve this community for generations to come.Spanning approximately 4.34 acres at the intersection of 25th Avenue and West Beach Boulevard in downtown Gulfport, on land assembled beginning in 2020 by 2R, LLC, the $105 million Gulfport Town Center development will introduce a dynamic mix of residential, hospitality, retail, and public infrastructure designed to create a vibrant, walkable destination along the city’s waterfront corridor.The first phase of the district will include 136 luxury apartment residences with high-speed internet service, a resort-inspired pool, fitness center and community lounge/rec room designed for resident gatherings and co-working, modern Class A finishes and walkable access to downtown Gulfport dining and waterfront amenities,as well as curated retail and restaurant space totaling approximately 17,637 square feet, designed to activate the street level with dining, shopping, and hospitality experiences that create an engaging pedestrian environment throughout the district, said officials.The Hotel Holden, a 114-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel encompassing approximately 76,033 square feet, will also bring a boutique guest experience to the city. The Tribute Portfolio is a distinctive Marriott brand known for its collection of independent, character-driven hotels that reflect the culture and identity of their destination, allowing properties to maintain a unique sense of place while benefiting from Marriott International’s global reservation system and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty network.The hotel will be managed by McKibbon Hospitality, one of the nation’s leading hotel developers and operators and a long-standing Marriott partner. McKibbon will play a key role in the design, development, and long-term operation of the hotel, bringing decades of experience delivering high-quality hospitality destinations throughout the Southeast.AnderCorp, LLC, a Gulfport-based construction firm with extensive experience in large-scale hospitality and multifamily developments, will serve as General Contractor for the project. Hotel architecture and design are led by Dale Partners Architects, while multifamily and parking garage design is provided by WBA Architecture—all firms headquartered in Mississippi.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0D2D1t_1B03XaXZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0D2D1t_1B03XaXZ00" width="1280" height="856" ></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0zgd5X_1B03XaXZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0zgd5X_1B03XaXZ00" width="2048" height="1365" ></figure>The more than $105 million Gulfport Town Center development represents a significant public-private partnership aimed at accelerating downtown revitalization and expanding economic opportunity along the Gulf Coast. The project is supported in part through investments from the Mississippi Legislature and the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, administered by the Mississippi Development Authority, along with collaboration from the Gulfport Redevelopment Commission and the City of Gulfport to deliver critical infrastructure, including the district’s public parking facility. Construction on the project began in December 2025, with the parking structure expected to be completed in 2026, followed by delivery of the residential and hospitality components through 2027. At peak construction, the project is expected to support more than 125–175 construction jobs, while the completed development is expected to generate approximately 75 new hospitality jobs associated with the hotel component, along with additional employment across retail and property operations.Planned as the first phase of a broader multi-phase downtown destination, Gulfport Town Center is designed to catalyze additional investment and help establish downtown Gulfport as a vibrant mixed-use district where residents, visitors, and businesses can live, work, and gather.Roy Anderson III, Chairman &amp; CEO of AnderCorp and co-developer of the project, said, “As someone who grew up in Gulfport and built businesses on the Gulf Coast, this project means a great deal to me personally and professionally. For more than five years we’ve worked with partners and community leaders to shape a project that reflects the vision of creating a true quality of place for downtown, and we’re proud that AnderCorp will help build it right here in the heart of our city.“This vision really took shape in 2020, when Rick Carter—my friend and partner—and I began assembling this property, piece by piece over several years. At the same time, the Gulf Coast Business Council commissioned TIP Strategies to conduct a competitiveness study for the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and it became clear that projects like this—focused on quality of place and downtown living—were exactly what our region needed. Rick and I saw the vision early, but more importantly, we committed to pursuing it patiently and deliberately, working through significant challenges—from post-COVID cost escalation and inflation to rising interest rates,” said Anderson.“At the end of the day, this is about two Gulfport natives who care deeply about this community and wanted to do something meaningful to make it better. We wanted to create a place that gives people a reason to stay, to invest, and for our community’s children to be excited about building their lives right here at home. When this is complete, it’s going to bring people downtown—residents, visitors, and businesses—all in one place, which is what truly brings a city to life. This becomes a true ‘quality of place’—really the living room of the Gulf Coast—where people can live, work, and enjoy being here,” said Anderson.Of the groundbreaking event itself, Anderson commented, “There was a real sense of pride and momentum—you could feel that this project represents years of work finally coming together. It wasn’t just a groundbreaking, it was a statement that Gulfport believes its best days are still ahead.“This project only happens because of strong public-private partnerships. We’re grateful to the Mississippi Legislature, Mississippi Development Authority, the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund, and our local partners—the Gulfport Redevelopment Commission and the City of Gulfport—who were with us every step of the way. We’ve also assembled a strong Mississippi-based team led by Sunny Sethi and Bellamare Development, Hospitality by McKibbon, multi-family management by Rain, design by WBA and Dale Partners, local construction subcontractors, and lending. We’re proud that this is a Mississippi-driven undertaking,” said Anderson.“This is deeply personal for us—it’s our hometown and where AnderCorp is headquartered, and we’re proud to help build something that will shape Gulfport for generations. AnderCorp and our key personnel have been engaged in every aspect of this transformative development—from pre-development strategy and planning, through development and design, and now into construction. It reflects who we are—creating great opportunities here on the Coast, where our people can live and work locally in Mississippi while also being part of nationally recognized projects across the country,” concluded Anderson.Neil Polen, Partner with Dale Partners Architects in Biloxi, commented, “We were very fortunate and excited to be involved in the Channel South project for multiple reasons, both professional &amp; personal. To have an opportunity to play a role in a project that quite literally transforms the landscape of the Coast’s economic heart in Gulfport was certainly a great opportunity for our firm, but it was also a proud moment as a resident of the Gulf Coast. As our community continues to grow, it is both a privilege and responsibility to set the foundation for a built environment that will benefit Coast residents for years to come. In particular, helping bring not just any hotel, but a Tribute brand, one of Marriott’s most recognizable boutique offerings, was another proud moment for myself and our firm. “Having the opportunity to work with all of the project partners including Roy Anderson III, Roy Anderson IV, Bellamare Development &amp; McKibbon Places, has shown that truly great projects can happen in Mississippi when the right teams are brought together. We’re pleased that Dale Partners did some conceptual planning work on the overall site, then ultimately became Architect of Record for the hotel specifically,” said Polen.“There is such power in watching a city be its best self. Channel South is Gulfport saying loudly that quality place-making matters on the Gulf Coast. For WBA, being part of that conversation and part of the team alongside Bellamare Development and AnderCorp is a privilege we don’t take lightly,” said Jamie Wier, AIA, Principal with WBA Architecture located in Jackson, who also assisted with the project.“After years of careful planning and collaboration, we are thrilled to move forward with this transformational project. Gulfport Town Center will bring new hospitality, housing, and public amenities to downtown while helping create the vibrant, walkable district our community has envisioned,” said ­­Gulfport Mayor, Hugh Keating. </div></body>

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Transformative Gulfport Town Center development underway. Gulfport Town Center, the transformative mixed-use district planned for the historic site of the Great Southern Hotel, celebrated a ceremonial groundbreaking on Friday, March 20 in downtown Gulfport. The project, led by AnderCorp, LLC and Bellamare Development, will represent one of the most significant investments in the city in a generation, said officials, and the development will bring together luxury residences, curated retail and dining, and a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel on the historic grounds that helped shape Gulfport’s identity.

AnderCorp Holds Groundbreaking on Coast

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Transformative Gulfport Town Center development underway. Gulfport Town Center, the transformative mixed-use district planned for the historic site of the 

AnderCorp Holds Groundbreaking on Coast

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