A. J. Holloway
Encyclopedia
A.J. Holloway was elected Mayor of Biloxi
, Mississippi (U.S.
) in 1993 and began his fourth term in July, 2005. He was educated in the Biloxi public schools
and graduated from the University of Mississippi
. Prior to his election as mayor, Holloway worked at the Mississippi
Tax Commission for 12 years, reaching the position of senior revenue agent, and served one term on the Biloxi City Council
, representing Ward 3. During his term as mayor, he oversaw the direct financial benefit to Biloxi from casino
gambling that was introduced to the area in 1992.
hit Biloxi causing massive damage and loss of life. Summarizing the devastation in Biloxi left behind by Katrina, Holloway told The Sun Herald
, "This is our tsunami
."
and public education
.
Holloway said in 2004 and again in 2007: “Future generations are going to look back on this chapter in our history as a time when we made the right decisions … when we cherished and protected our culture... and we did things to improve and enhance our quality of life
. They’re going to see this as an historic time.”
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
, Mississippi (U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) in 1993 and began his fourth term in July, 2005. He was educated in the Biloxi public schools
Biloxi Public School District
The Biloxi Public School District is a public school district based in Biloxi, Mississippi . Most of the district serves Biloxi.-Elementary Schools:*Grades K-5**Gorenflo Elementary School**Jeff Davis Elementary School...
and graduated from the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. Prior to his election as mayor, Holloway worked at the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Tax Commission for 12 years, reaching the position of senior revenue agent, and served one term on the Biloxi City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, representing Ward 3. During his term as mayor, he oversaw the direct financial benefit to Biloxi from casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
gambling that was introduced to the area in 1992.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 28, 2005, Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
hit Biloxi causing massive damage and loss of life. Summarizing the devastation in Biloxi left behind by Katrina, Holloway told The Sun Herald
The Sun Herald
The Sun Herald is a U.S. newspaper based in Biloxi, Mississippi, that serves readers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is owned by The McClatchy Company, one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States....
, "This is our tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
."
Hopes for the Future
The mayor envisions as many 20 casino resorts in Biloxi in 10 years, and as many as 30,000 hotel rooms and 30,000 employees in the casino resort industry. His “Reviving the Renaissance” initiative also promises improvements in areas such as affordable housing, historic preservation, public safetyPublic Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
and public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
.
Holloway said in 2004 and again in 2007: “Future generations are going to look back on this chapter in our history as a time when we made the right decisions … when we cherished and protected our culture... and we did things to improve and enhance our quality of life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
. They’re going to see this as an historic time.”