Pascagoula May See Its Ship Come in, and Stay: Group Wants It to Be Tourist Site

By Margaret Baker, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Sep. 16–PASCAGOULA — Officials with the Florida Warship and Maritime Museum Project plan to present a plan to city leaders Tuesday night to place the USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) in the Flagship City as a tourist attraction. The ship was one of several cruisers and destroyers that were homeported at Naval Station Pascagoula before the base was deactivated in 2006.

If all goes as planned, the group, in conjunction with members of the Pascagoula Economic Development Advisory Council, are hoping to have the first-ever combatant ship tour or museum in the state.

The Florida group formed to try to preserve the former naval ship — the first Aegis-capable vessel — as a museum or tourist attraction.

“Pascagoula has worked to revitalize underutilized areas while adding family-friendly businesses and tourist destinations,” Frank Corder, chairman of PEDAC and the Pascagoula Renaissance Commission, said Friday. “This venture fits well with what we’re trying to do in Pascagoula. An entertainment and business anchor of this magnitude would be a tremendous win.

“The ancillary business opportunities associated with such a venture would indeed spark the redevelopment we’re looking for.”

The goal, Corder said, is to promote the area’s naval and maritime history here by using the ship, which was built at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.

The projected budget for the venture is between $9 million and $11 million, which would have to be raised on behalf of the nonprofit group.

If all goes as planned, the group hopes to have the ship back in Pascagoula and ready to tour some time in 2009.

That will allow time to raise the funding that is needed to make the venture a reality.

Ultimately, the group said, the goal is to preserve the ship for use also as a learning center and attraction for generations to come.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

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