MS secretary of state takes tidelands war to radio; foes accuse him of ‘false statement’
Secretary of State Michael Watson is more determined than ever to see the state Legislature pass a law that gives his office sole control over Coastal tidelands along the Mississippi Sound and its bays, and further limits potential casino sites.
Watson said earlier this week on SuperTalk Mississippi, a favored venue for state politicians, that the proposed legislation is even more essential going forward because of a recent Supreme Court decision that his office lost.
The legislation is expected to be hashed out by a conference committee of Senate and House members shortly before the session is scheduled to end May 5.
“As you well know that’s been a big issue on the Coast,” Watson, who is from Pascagoula, told SuperTalk host Gerard Gibert.
Watson said the Supreme Court decision in a Biloxi case “effectually gutted” the current tidelands law. The recent case, involving an acre on the Mississippi Sound in East Biloxi known as the Aldrich property, was decided in favor of the landowner and local governments. It’s the fourth tidelands case the secretary of state has lost in recent years.
Casino investors disagree with state politician
In Aldrich, the Supreme Court ruled that the landowner, whose family once ran the famed Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant on the property, owned the land from the water line up to the seawall at U.S. 90. Watson’s office had claimed the land was filled in water bottoms and therefore under the state’s control.
The state holds in trust for the public that property subject to the ebb and flow of the tides.
But the Supreme Court found the Aldrich property is outside the state tideland’s boundary. Investors who want to lease the Aldrich property as part of a potential casino site said Friday that Watson made a “false statement” on SuperTalk by claiming the court decision gutted the current Tidelands Act.
Instead, they pointed out, the court opinion says the Secretary of State’s Office incorrectly drew tidelands boundaries. The court opinion said it would be a “travesty of justice to deprive Aldrich of the property his family has enjoyed the fruits of for decades based solely on a misdrawn map,” the investors noted.
The investors sent out a news release as Tullis Gardens LLC, the group that wants to put a casino on the north side of U.S. 90 where Tullis-Toledano Manor stood before Hurricane Katrina. They have optioned the Aldrich property as part of their development but believe the proposed tidelands law would kill their project.
Sen. Mike Thompson, a sponsor of the tidelands legislation, said he doesn’t believe the site would be considered legal for a casino under the current or proposed law.
Thompson said the legislation is simply an attempt to give casino operators “stability and certainty” in the market.
Other investors with casino plans also are concerned the proposed law would eliminate their projects. There is some sentiment in the business community that the market is saturated and numerous approved casinos sites sit undeveloped.
