FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2007

Hancock Bank to dedicate Lighthouse Park October 4th
Bucktown All-Stars headline first Gulfport Main Street 'Live after Five'

DOWNTOWN BRIGHT SPOT - The focal point of Hancock Bank's Lighthouse Park in downtown Gulfport, the custom-designed lighthouse fountain symbolizes the Gulf Coast's Hurricane Katrina experience and the remarkable resilience of the region's people.

      GULFPORT, MS (September 27, 2007) - In today's financial arena, thinking "green" usually invokes images of cash. At Hancock Bank's downtown Gulfport corporate headquarters, green - or, in this case, green space - inspires another bright picture of Gulf Coast renewal since Hurricane Katrina.

     Thursday, October 4, 2007, at 4:30 p.m., Hancock Bank will officially dedicate Lighthouse Park, a 56,000-square-foot grassy commons adjacent to the company's One Hancock Plaza tower in the heart of downtown Gulfport. Featuring a custom-designed fountain and myriad coastal symbolism, the park is one of the largest corporately owned downtown green spaces in Mississippi.

     Following the dedication, Hancock Bank will sponsor the first Gulfport Main Street Association (GMSA) "Live after Five" celebration from 5:00 - 9:30 p.m., featuring popular New Orleans rhythm and blues show band The Bucktown All-Stars at 6:30 p.m. GMSA is encouraging downtown area businesses to consider extended business hours on October 4 to accommodate partygoers.

    "Hancock Bank was founded to facilitate commerce and opportunity throughout the areas we serve. We hope Lighthouse Park, 'Live after Five', and other downtown events will help cultivate another Gulf Coast business, cultural, and social center for South Mississippians and visitors," said Hancock Bank Chief Executive Officer John M. Hairston. "Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the show!"

    Members of the Gulfport High School Chamber Orchestra, directed by Billy Ulmer, will perform immediately before the park dedication ceremony.

    Hancock also plans to launch a "Lighthouse Lunch" brown-bag series of occasional lunchtime musical programs in Lighthouse Park beginning Friday, October 5, 2007, from 11:30 - 1:00 p.m.

About Lighthouse Park

    Originally dubbed Harbor Square Park, the first park immediately west of Hancock's headquarters debuted in the early 1980s with the construction of One Hancock Plaza and the Harbor Square downtown development initiative. Hurricane Katrina's surge flooded the park - located almost a half-mile inland - with nearly two feet of salt water, sludge, and debris, destroying landscaping as well as a large wading pool shaped like the Mississippi coastline. As Hancock executives, architects, engineers, and designer developed restoration plans for the heavily damaged 15-story One Hancock Plaza tower and surrounding grounds, retaining and enhancing downtown green space became a priority.

    "We knew from the beginning that a new park would be a major feature of our One Hancock Plaza rebuilding effort and constitute a significant investment in the downtown community. Lighthouse Park was designed to be a place for business people, residents, families, and visitors to relax and enjoy the downtown experience," said Bill Oster, the Hancock operations officer who has overseen the multi-million-dollar renovation of the One Hancock Plaza campus since September 2005.

    Grace & Hebert Architects of Baton Rouge was the lead architectural firm for the park project. Roy Anderson Corp was the primary contractor; Rotolo Consultants, Inc., of Slidell, LA, was the subcontractor. Landscape architect Joey Furr worked with WaterPlay to create a unique fountain design that sets off the lush indigenous plants and trees in the park and the strong architectural statements of Hancock's restored corporate building.

    "We hope Hancock's investment in green space complementary to corporate office space will be a practice adopted by others developing office space on the Mississippi Coast. For the benefit of those who follow us, we should take the opportunity arising from Katrina's destruction to demonstrate that concrete, steel, camellias, and live oaks really can beneficially co-exist," added Hairston.

Symbols of History and Hope

    Lighthouse Park embodies considerable South Mississippi, Hancock Bank, and Hurricane Katrina symbolism. Hancock associates saved and nurtured live oaks on the west end of the park as "survivor oaks" - trees that endured Katrina's wrath and reflect the resilience of South Mississippi's people. The free-form masonry curve near the oaks denotes the Mississippi coastline. Boulders scattered among the oaks represent barrier islands in the Mississippi Sound that helped spare the region from greater surge devastation and still protect the Coast today.

    The focal point of the park is the fountain. Escalating bursts of water progress from the concrete coastline and survivor oaks to the center of the park, replicating Katrina's rising surge that, ultimately, inundated coastal communities. Sprays encircling the fountain's lighthouse logo symbolize inland floods pushed by the storm surge. At the fountain's center, the highest geysers jet dramatically skyward to celebrate the Coast's inevitable recovery.

    Black pavers among the park's grey stone walkways honor each Mississippian lost in the storm.

The Bucktown All-Stars

    The Bucktown All-Stars is a nine-piece rhythm and blues band based in Metairie, LA. Featuring a powerful four-piece horn section, the group specializes in the melodic orchestration of the 1960s Atlantic Soul popularized by artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave; the brassy punch of 1970s classic acts such as Chicago and Stevie Wonder; and the slick grooves of 1970s funk personified by Earth, Wind, & Fire and the Average White Band.

    The All-Stars also pay homage to hometown roots and the musical influences of New Orleans R&B performers such as The Meters, The Neville Brothers, and Dr. John. The group's diverse repertoire and youthful energy produce exciting live performances that attract music lovers of all ages.

About Hancock Bank

    Hancock Holding Company is the parent company of Hancock Bank (Mississippi), Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida, and Hancock Bank of Alabama and has assets of more than $6 billion. Hancock Bank - one of the nation's strongest, safest financial institutions - ranks fourth among the country's top-performing banks, according to U.S. Banker magazine, and is the only financial services company headquartered in the Gulf South to rate among the top 20 percent of America's top performing banks. Bank subsidiaries include Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency and its divisions of Ross King Walker and J. Everett Eaves, and Harrison Finance Company. Additional corporate information is available at www.hancockbank.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
R. Paul Maxwell, VP & Corporate Communications Manager
228.563.7953 or paul_maxwell@hancockbank.com