Gulf Shores receives $13.4M for new Eco Center facility

Gulf Shores is known for being one of best spots for beach homes and snowbirds, but it’s also home to a beautiful, biodiverse natural environment where flora and fauna thrive. One nonprofit, the Gulf Shores Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, has partnered with the City of Gulf Shores to bolster the city’s ecotourism industry and encourage sustainability.

Recently, the City of Gulf Shores received $13.4M in funding to go toward the huge new Eco Center project. Here’s what you need to know.

About the Gulf Coast Eco Center

The new Gulf Coast Eco Center will be a state-of-the-art facility serving multiple purposes. When complete, the center will feature:

• Farm + garden complex
• Art center
• Habitat restoration demonstrations
• Bicycle hub
• Wetland lab
• Event space
• Challenge course

Set to open in summer 2024, this project will house youth camps, field studies, public classes, workshops and recreational programs for visitors and locals alike.

The $13.4M grant

On November 6, 2023, the City of Gulf Shores announced in a press release that it was awarded $13.4M in RESTORE funding by the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council to design and construct a new facility. The Gulf Coast Eco Center will be located on city-owned property adjacent to Gulf State Park and Gulf Shores City Schools.

The design and operation of the new facility will be a collaboration between Gulf Shores City Schools, Gulf State Park, Valor Hospitality, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, research universities, environmental education groups, industry partners and local business groups. Of course, one of the biggest forces behind the project is non-profit Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, founded in 2018.

The new Gulf Coast Eco Center is a part of the Vision 2025 plan developed by Gulf Shores after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

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