890 23rd St
Gulfport, MS 39501

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:
Approximately ±340.85 Feet of Combined Harbor 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.