State and federal officials have opened the $9 million Coastal Resources Center at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in southeast Jackson County.

The 20,000-square-foot center was seven years in the making, put together with a variety of committees for citizen and researcher input. It’s 90 percent paid for by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 10 percent by the state and has been under construction for two years.

It houses offices, dormitories, an interpretive area, classrooms and research areas.

David Ruple, manager of the reserve, said he’s been looking forward to the center for 18 years.