FunTime USA approved to rebuild on Gulfport waterfront

FunTime USA amusement park finally got the thumbs up on its third try from the Gulfport City Council.

The council voted 4-3 on Tuesday to reject the appeal of neighboring residents who opposed the amusement park’s location on the east side of Cowan Road overlooking the beach. Before Katrina, FunTime entertained generations of visitors on the west side of the same road.

Voting for FunTime were council members Rusty Walker, Myles Sharpe, Truck Casey and R.Lee Flowers. Council members Ricky Dombrowski, Cara Pucheu and Ella Holmes-Hines were opposed.

Residents of Georgia Place, to the north of the 5.5 acres where FunTime wants to rebuild, said they are worried about traffic congestion, noise, stadium-style lighting and decreased property values.

But Councilman Myles Sharp said he had looked at all the options on the beach and, if Gulfport rejected FunTime’s request in this location, city leaders would essentially be saying they want no family activities or other commercial ventures developed along the beach. A buffer of undeveloped private property sits between FunTime and the residents.

Rafe O’Neal, whose family ran the popular amusement park before Hurricane Katrina, teared up after the meeting. “It’s been a really difficult process,” he said.

O’Neal said he hopes FunTime will be open by Memorial Day 2017.

Residents could appeal the City Council’s decision to Circuit Court, but did not mention whether they plan to do so.

FunTime’s developers will be working with the city and other agencies to secure permits for construction. Building components, including rides, will have to meet federal flood guidelines.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "FunTime USA approved to rebuild on Gulfport waterfront."