Gulfport Veterans Administration Medical Center Historic District
Trademark
UnclaimedA historic 48-acre Gulfport, Mississippi medical-center complex later redeveloped as Centennial Plaza.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Gulfport Veterans Administration Medical Center Historic District is a 48-acre historic compound in Gulfport, Mississippi, also known as Centennial Plaza. Although it is not a commercial brand in the conventional sense, the site has acquired a recognizable public-facing identity through its historic designation and later redevelopment as a mixed-use destination. Its origins date to 1916, when Mississippi selected the property for a planned centennial statehood exposition. The exposition was scheduled for the autumn of 1917 but was abandoned after the United States entered World War I. During the war, Mississippi leased the property and its temporary exhibition structures to the U.S. Navy for use as a training facility. After the war, the U.S. Public Health Service assumed control of the lease and opened a hospital there in 1921 for neuropsychiatric care of military servicemen. In 1922, the hospital was transferred to the U.S. Veterans' Bureau, which also purchased the property from the State of Mississippi. Construction of permanent facilities followed, with several buildings completed in 1923. The medical center expanded over subsequent decades as services and accommodation for veterans increased. The historic district's contributing resources include ten historic buildings, the main entrance gates, and the designed landscape. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1920 and 1950 in a Spanish Colonial Revival style, using poured concrete, terra-cotta brick with stucco finishes, and terra-cotta tile roofs. Southern live oaks were incorporated into the landscape around the buildings. The site therefore represents both the history of veterans' health care on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and a planned institutional architectural ensemble. The medical center operated into the twenty-first century. Hurricane Katrina brought the decisive interruption: storm surge caused one structure to collapse and flooded the other buildings to a depth of approximately four feet. The damage led to closure in 2005. After cleanup, the Veterans Administration transferred the property to the City of Gulfport in 2009. The interiors of the ten historic buildings were gutted during post-hurricane preparations for future renovation, while the exterior historic character and broader site organization remained important to preservation and redevelopment efforts. Mississippi designated the property a Mississippi Landmark in 2010, and the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. The site subsequently moved from an exclusively institutional use toward a community-oriented marketplace and hospitality complex. Redevelopment adapted the existing buildings for retail, restaurants, lodging, and event uses. Centennial Plaza hosted a south Mississippi bicentennial celebration on March 31 and April 1, 2017, drawing approximately 25,000 visitors. The event also featured the U.S. Postal Service's introduction of a first-day-of-issue Forever stamp commemorating Mississippi's two-hundredth anniversary of statehood. Centennial Plaza Resort opened in August 2019 after a reported $100 million redevelopment. At opening, the complex included two hotels with more than 200 rooms, two full-service restaurants, a three-acre water park, and a wedding chapel. The reuse strategy positioned the property as a destination for visitors, families, weddings, business events, and local community activities while retaining the identity of the former veterans medical-center campus. The historic district's present significance therefore combines military and veterans' medical history, Gulf Coast preservation, post-Katrina recovery, and adaptive reuse.
History
Development of the property began in 1916, when it was selected for Mississippi's planned centennial statehood exposition. The exposition was intended to open in the autumn of 1917, but World War I prevented it from taking place. Mississippi then leased the property, including temporary exhibition buildings, to the U.S. Navy for wartime training. After the war, the U.S. Public Health Service assumed the lease and opened a hospital at the site in 1921 for neuropsychiatric treatment of military servicemen. In 1922, the hospital passed to the U.S. Veterans' Bureau, which purchased the property from Mississippi that same year. Permanent construction expanded the campus, with several buildings completed in 1923. Further facilities were added as the institution developed into a larger veterans medical center. The district's historic core consists of twelve contributing resources: ten buildings, the main entrance gates, and the landscaped setting. The buildings were generally erected between 1920 and 1950 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Their construction used poured concrete, terra-cotta brick covered with stucco, and terra-cotta tile roofs. Southern live oaks formed a notable part of the site landscape, framing individual buildings and the campus perimeter. The medical center remained in operation until Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, storm surge caused one building to collapse and inundated the others to a depth of about four feet, resulting in closure. During subsequent cleanup and preparation for possible reuse, the interiors of all ten historic buildings were gutted. The Veterans Administration transferred the property to the City of Gulfport in 2009. The site's public and historic status was strengthened when Mississippi designated it a Mississippi Landmark in 2010. The district entered the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Redevelopment then adapted the former institutional compound for community-oriented commercial and hospitality uses, including retail, restaurants, lodging, and events. The renamed or publicly promoted Centennial Plaza hosted a major south Mississippi bicentennial celebration on March 31 and April 1, 2017. Around 25,000 people attended, and the U.S. Postal Service introduced a first-day-of-issue Forever stamp honoring Mississippi's two-hundredth anniversary of statehood. In August 2019, Centennial Plaza Resort opened following a reported $100 million redevelopment. The resort initially included two hotels with more than 200 rooms, two full-service restaurants, a three-acre water park, and a wedding chapel. The adaptive-reuse project gave the former medical campus a new role as a destination for tourism, family recreation, weddings, business gatherings, and community events while preserving its historic architectural setting.
- 2019
Centennial Plaza Resort opens
[1]The redeveloped complex opened with hotels, restaurants, a water park, and a wedding chapel.
- 2017
South Mississippi bicentennial celebration held
[1]Centennial Plaza hosted a two-day statehood bicentennial event attended by approximately 25,000 people.
- 2014
Added to the National Register of Historic Places
[1]The historic district received federal recognition through National Register listing.
- 2010
Designated a Mississippi Landmark
[1]The property received state historic-landmark designation.
- 2009
City of Gulfport receives the property
[1]The Veterans Administration transferred the site to the City of Gulfport after cleanup.
- 2005
Medical center closes after Hurricane Katrina
[1]Storm surge severely damaged the campus, collapsing one structure and flooding the others.
- 1923
Permanent medical-center buildings completed
[1]Several new buildings were completed as the veterans medical campus developed.
- 1922
Veterans' Bureau assumes control and purchases property
[1]The U.S. Veterans' Bureau took over the hospital and purchased the property from the State of Mississippi.
- 1921
Hospital opens for military neuropsychiatric care
[1]The U.S. Public Health Service opened a hospital at the site for neuropsychiatric care of military servicemen.
- 1917
Planned exposition abandoned during World War I
[1]The proposed autumn exposition was not held after wartime conditions intervened.
Products and positioning
A preserved veterans medical-center campus repositioned as a Gulf Coast heritage, hospitality, recreation, and events destination.
Heritage site
Historic district and campus
The preserved compound includes ten historic Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, entrance gates, and a landscaped setting associated with the former veterans medical center. Its value lies in the relationship between the buildings, site plan, mature live oaks, and history of veterans' health care.
Hospitality and leisure · 2019
Centennial Plaza Resort
The adaptive-reuse resort converted the former medical-center campus into a hospitality and recreation destination. At opening it included two hotels with more than 200 rooms, two full-service restaurants, a three-acre water park, and a wedding chapel.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017South Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration
South Mississippi · United States
Centennial Plaza hosted a two-day celebration of Mississippi's bicentennial. The event included the U.S. Postal Service's first-day-of-issue introduction of a Forever stamp commemorating Mississippi statehood.
Outcome. Approximately 25,000 people attended, reinforcing Centennial Plaza's role as a public events venue.
Brand decisions
2019
Redevelop the historic campus as a mixed-use resortStrategyBackground
Following closure, damage, historic designation, and interior gutting, the property was repositioned for community-oriented commercial and hospitality uses.
Action taken
The ten historic buildings were renovated as part of a reported $100 million development that introduced lodging, restaurants, a water park, and a wedding chapel.
Aftermath
Centennial Plaza Resort opened in August 2019, giving the former medical center a new tourism, events, and recreation role.
Reported development investment. $100 million (2019 opening)
2009
Transfer the damaged campus to the City of GulfportStrategyBackground
Hurricane Katrina had closed the medical center and severely damaged the property.
Action taken
The Veterans Administration transferred the site to the City of Gulfport after cleanup.
Aftermath
The transfer enabled preservation efforts and later adaptive reuse of the former institutional campus.
Sources1 sources
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