A 4-story arcade for kids will soon open on Bay St. Louis beach. There’s also a bar for adults

Brothers and business partners Jourdan and Field Nicaud are planning to open a four-story arcade on Beach Boulevard in Bay St. Louis next spring, the latest venture in their growing empire of businesses across South Mississippi.

The project, called Bay Play, will have arcade games on the second and third levels, along with ice cream and beverages. The first floor is the redemption center, where guests can redeem tickets won while playing games for various prizes.

The location will include a mix of new and retro games, such as claw machines and car- and bike-riding games that will rotate every two years. The fourth floor will house a rooftop bar and adult-oriented games, including beer pong, and will serve as the venue’s space for private parties.

Renderings of Bay Play depict a turquoise building with a vintage-style, boardwalk-themed sign adorned with palm trees, sand and water imagery.

The idea took shape last summer, when the Nicauds noticed downtown Bay St. Louis was increasingly centered on nightlife, restaurants and bars, but offered few options for children beyond the beach. Jourdan Nicaud noted that families often drive to Margaritaville Resort Biloxi for arcades and other attractions geared toward younger visitors.

He described Bay Play as a venue that could host birthday parties and group outings similar to Margaritaville, but on a small scale.

“We just really wanted to bring something new to the area that would help out the community and be a place where kids can go after school or on the weekends if they go downtown,” Jourdan Nicaud said.

The addition of the arcade comes as the Coast continues to grow and downtown Bay St. Louis evolves into a thriving, yet ever-changing, entertainment hub for visitors and newcomers. Already this year, the area has seen Tripletails Restaurant — a longtime Beach Boulevard eatery — close its doors and hit the market. Meanwhile, just a block away, a sno-ball stand based in Mandeville is expanding to Main Street.

Bay Play is a part of that shift. A social media post earlier this week showed the building that formerly housed O’Dwyer Realty, between Lemoine’s Landing and The Blind Tiger, being demolished to make way for the arcade — a move that sparked a mix of excitement and criticism among commenters. Jourdan Nicaud said he thinks that once Bay Play opens, residents will see it as “a really cool addition to the area.”

“That’s what we’re focusing on — something family-friendly,” he said, “And we’re hoping this is a good step toward that.”

The venue differs from other business ventures by the Nicauds, who own a series of restaurants and resorts. Last year, the brothers opened Pass Bungalows, a contemporary-style resort in Pass Christian with an assortment of eateries and shops, including St. James Cheese Company. The development includes 9 Toes Brewery, which is under construction. They have also announced plans to open a new Le Magnolia Hotel — housed in the former Magnolia Hotel, the oldest known hotel on the Mississippi Coast — in spring 2027.