THE OLD TIVOLI HOTEL ON BILOXI BEACH
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THE DAMC LURKS A LANDMARK.

By the Summer of 1997, we determined that the remains of the old Tivoli Hotel located on the 400 block of Beach blvd (US 90) near Biloxi Beach's casino row could safely be entered without vandalism or other damage to the property. In mid-July, with the Coast's first hurricane of the season closing in on the beachfront, members John and Jason arrived about 10:00 PM to make the first reconnaissance run. Entry was gained through a service room at the rear of the structure (See map), and the tour proceeded through all areas of the first and second story. Evidence of past attempts at restoration were evident, we noted scaffolding and electric light bulbs lit by a primitive power network throughout the vast chambers of the first floor. Not many artifacts were found on this first run through, but curiously, no evidence of the building's electronic sensor alarm system (announced by old stickers on the windows outside) were found either.
During the second visit after the storm,
entry was made to the main building and evidence was found that someone else had been in the hotel during the past three days, as the entry doorway had been obstructed. This would not have prevented exploration further into the hotel, but did give rise to speculation that bums may have been residing within, possibly to sit out the hurricane. None of the team's members were armed on this particular evening, and this lurk was called off.
Jason and John returned again a week later and, despite barricade, made the most extensive tour of the hotel to date. Numerous artifacts were brought into protection under the club's Cultural Preservation Dept.
The fourth venture, in mid-August, into the Tivoli was significant, it being the DAMC's first daylight exploration. New members Steve and Robert joined John to photograph the site, and the images captured that day illuminate this Virtual Tour.
Since then, all the doorways and windows use to get in had been boarded up, but this didnt stop the D.A.M.C. from finding a new entry (see map). On the first Saturday night in October, the last "membership" lurk at the Tivoli was made when new team members Samantha, Leslie, and Connie were initiated in the hotel by John and Dave. We returned the following week with other new members, including Kevin Bailey, who took the amazing night photos which appear in the tour that follows. Most memorable was our experience on the fifth floor in the pigeon-infested honeymoon suite.
John made his first daytime lurk into the Tivoli by himself on the morning of 19 October 1997, where for an hour he roamed at will and thoroughly examined nearly every foot of the first floor before he made the startling discovery of 'Tim' and his female companion as they appeared on the staircase from upstairs. Apparently associated with the motel next door, Tim answered questions about the old Hotel and remained congenial while he warned about getting permission to be allowed in. As either man suspected the other of pulling a gun, Tim produced a set of keys and for the first time in the club's history, a DAMC member left a lurk by the front door. Tim still didnt explain why he spent the night there, however.
Presently, no word is received concerning the future of this classic building. Joe and John conducted two more lurks in the Tivoli during February, 2000, finding less evidence that any attempt was underway to restore this historic monument. With the club's attention turning to the restoration of the White House landmark several miles up the road, less attention has been paid to the Tivoli Hotel recently, although a fifth anniversary initiation lurk was sponsored in July, 2000. This Summer we will feature what we discovered on this long-awaited return to the Tivoli Hotel in Biloxi! In the meantime, enjoy our classic Virtual Tour of this historic site from 1997.

Begin your Virtual Tour below,
Hosted by the D.A.M.C.
The Tivoli Hotel
Autumn, 1997

Site under construction, latest update 4 August, 2000.
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