It’s official. The 2017 Mercury Southern Kingfish Association National Championship will be presented Oct. 27-29 at Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi.
The event, which is scheduled to attract as many as 131 boats, is one of a half-dozen fishing tournaments in the offing at Point Cadet Marina, which is at the easternmost tip of the Biloxi peninsula.
“We’re speaking with the Billfish and Cobia tournaments right now,” said Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard, “and we’re looking forward to continuing those tournaments at Point Cadet Marina as well.”
Organizers of special events at Point Cadet Marina are now required to complete a special events agreement that outlines costs of staging, bleachers and other support requested from the city. The City Council passed the measure last year to help reduce the city’s cost of helping stage the growing number of special events at Point Cadet Marina.
Meantime, the Southern Kingfish Association, also known as SKA, is a coup for the Mississippi Gulf Coast, say local tourism leaders. Said Renee Areng, director of Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast, which helped land the tournament: “We’re excited to see the tournament return to the region with a record number of registered boats, 131 total, from all over the globe.”
Among the lineup of tournaments tentatively scheduled for Point Cadet Marina, pending special events agreements:
April 29 – 31st annual Gorenflo Cobia Shootout.
May 5-7 – 31st annual Gorenflo Cobia Tournament.
June 5-11 – Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic.
June 14- 18 – MGCBG quarter-million-dollar Marlin Jackpot.
Aug. 4-7 – Home Builders Association of Mississippi Carl Legett Tournament.
Outstanding Citizen to be named April 26
Biloxi will name its Outstanding Citizen Wednesday, April 26 during a Biloxi Lions Club luncheon at the Biloxi Yacht Club.
The noontime luncheon is open to the public and has a $20 fee. For reservations, contact Vincent Creel at vcreel@biloxi.ms.us or (228) 435-6368.
The Lions Club outstanding citizen program dates back more than 80 years, to 1931, when W.F. Swan was named the city’s outstanding citizen. Since that time, each year, the city and Lions Club recognize “a Biloxian who has worked to make our community a better place to live, and someone who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all Biloxians,” said Biloxi Lions Club President Darrell Galey.
Over the years, a host of community and civic leaders and businesspeople have been honored. Last year, Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney was named as Biloxi’s Outstanding Citizen. For 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina, the Lions Club broke with tradition and named an entire class of people – the Citizens of Biloxi – and had Mayor A.J. Holloway accept the honor.
See the roster of outstanding citizens
See photos from the 2016 luncheon
News and notes
Senior center ribbon cutting: A ceremony for the new Harrison County East Biloxi Senior Center will be held on Thursday, April 6 at 11:30 a.m. To see the flyer, click here.
William Carey benefit game: The Biloxi Shuckers season begins tonight with an exhibition game against the William Carey Crusaders, to benefit the tornado-ravaged Hattiesburg college. To see the Biloxi Shuckers website, click here.
