County To Control Mississippi Coliseum

House Bill 1203 calls for the five Harrison County Supervisors to each appoint a member to a board, which will be in charge of budgetary oversight of the 15,000-capacity venue and its $7 million trust fund.

Mayors from five towns surrounding the Coliseum will also be allowed to appoint two board members between them. The term for the governor’s appointments to the Coliseum Commission will conclude once the bill comes into effect July 1.

Legislators put restrictions on how money should be spent for the initial two years while the board gains experience, capping the budget for repairs, debt service and capital improvements at $2 million until Feb. 16, 2018.

Supervisor Beverly Martin said the move makes sense, since the state isn’t paying for the Coliseum’s oversight.

“Local taxpayers support it. This has been funded 100 percent by local citizens,” she said to the local Sun Herald.

The Coliseum recently hosted the Biloxi Crawfish Music Festival and a show from Disturbed and Rob Zombie.