BILOXI (AP) — Almost six years after Hurricane Katrina and a year after the Gulf oil spill, Biloxi is booming again, with $15.7 million in building permits issued in two weeks.

Community development director Jerry Creel said he issued 129 building permits — including one for an $11 million Walmart Supercenter — between June 17 and July 1. They brought in $54,000 in permit fees, he told The Sun Herald. Creel said in that same two weeks, his department issued 49 new business permits.

He can’t explain the sudden boom.

“I think that for the past five years we’ve had one obstacle after another,” he said.

“The city reviewed a lot of plans, yet the projects weren’t started. The barriers seem to be out of the way. This year the developers are coming in with financing already in place.”

Other projects already are under way or starting: Shaggy’s restaurant is ready to open, and Sharkheads souvenir store and McElroy’s seafood restaurant are being rebuilt. Creel said he is talking to other developers who want to get in on the boom.

City officials cautiously hope they’ll bring in enough new money to avoid furloughs next budget year, starting Oct. 1.

Furloughs were among steps taken to cut $5 million in spending this year.

“Hopefully we won’t have to use them,” said David Staehling, director of administration. “That’s something we can monitor on a monthly basis.”

Last year the city spent $6 million more than it took in.

This year casino and sales-tax revenue are up slightly.

The big difference is expenses are down $5 million from this point last year, he said, mostly because of furloughs, employee contributions to health insurance, the decrease in longevity pay and the hiring freeze.

“Our financial picture’s definitely improved,” he said.