Gov. Kay Ivey announced Friday morning a sizeable amount of $67 million in the newest round of GoMESA funding for local projects, which will include $2 million to build a new amphitheater in Robertsdale Centennial Park.

She made the announcement at GulfQuest Maritime Museum in Mobile with Baldwin and Mobile County officials in attendance, including state legislators.

"Through our application to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for funding consideration on the city's amphitheater project, we have been awarded $2 million from the GoMESA reserve for our project," said Mayor Charles Murphy in an official correspondence from July 13.

GoMESA, which stands for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, was created in 2006 and funds projects focused on sewer infrastructure, water quality improvements, research, land acquisitions and recreational access improvements.

According to governor's office, GoMESA provides for the four Gulf Producing States and their eligible coastal political subdivisions to share 37.5% of qualified revenues from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leases issued since Dec. 20, 2006.

With the governor's approval, ADCNR administer the funds, and Mobile and Baldwin County, Alabama's coastal counties, receive separate distributions directly from the federal government.
The application to build the new amphitheater will be further discussed at the next City of Robertsdale city council meeting on July 17.

Full list of 2023 State of Alabama funded GoMESA projects:

-Dauphin Island Beach Renourishment Engineering, Design and Permitting: $1,250,000
-Lewis Landing Public Access Mobile County: $1,500,000

-Chocolatta Bay Boat Ramp Replacement Mobile Causeway: $650,000
-Cedar Point Boat Ramp Mobile County: $4,300,000
-Foley Nature Parks Expansion: $5,000,000
-The Launch at CR6 Boat Ramp Baldwin County: $4,820,000
-Viewpoint Boat Ramp Improvement Weeks Bay: $1,678,800
-Daphne Bayfront Park Amphitheater and Park Improvements: $7,200,000
-Chickasaw Stormwater Management Improvements Phase I: $2,474,500
-Daphne Utilities Hwy 90 Force Main Stabilization: $187,500
-Robertsdale Centennial Park Amphitheater: $2,000,000
-Fairhope Magnolia Beach Renourishment: $620,000

-Fairhope Fly Creek Stream Restoration Project: $2,740,000
-Mobile County Water, Sewer, and Fire Septic to Sewer Project: $1,327,500
-Chickasaw Brooks Park Public Access Phase II: $485,000
-Dauphin Island Water and Sewer Rehabilitation Project: $3,246,455
-Port of Mobile Coastal Resiliency Study: $200,000
-Bartram and Perdido Canoe Trails Expansion: $1,906,000
-USA Healthy Oceans Initiative Phase II: $1,229,154
-City of Mobile Hall’s Mill Creek Public Access Project: $2,500,000
-Perdido Watershed Land Acquisition Fund: $7,000,000
-Spanish Fort Causeway Improvements: $3,000,000
-GoMESA 2023 Administration: $397,988
-West Fowl River and Heron Bay Land Acquisition (4,740 acres): $5,214,000
-Beach Club West Acquisition: $4,000,000
-Mt. Vernon Boating Access Improvements: $2,000,000
-GoMESA Administration 2022: $278,686

Total: $67,205,633

*Italicized amounts are GoMESA funded projects located in Baldwin County.