USS KItty Hawk CV 63
Time is of critical importance for the preservation of the U.S. Navy
super-carrier USS Kitty Hawk CV 63. This ship has been docked at the Puget
Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, since January 2009. During the first
week of March she was dry-docked for three months to have her hull cleaned
and maintenance. This vessel is fully capable for preservation as a museum
and community cultural activity center.
The story published on April 12, 2021, in The Astorian newspaper, stated
the $803,000 in monies collected toward urban renewal from local
jurisdictions may have to be returned. The story stated “A big question is
whether the $5.3 million in the urban renewal district will be enough to finish
several identified but somewhat undefined projects”.
The story further states the Astoria City Council wanted to use money on a master plan of the area around the Port’s West Mooring Basin. City Councilor Roger Rocka appears favorable to complete Uniontown Reborn. These areas are the proposed location of the USS Kitty Hawk.
Use the monies to initiate a prime tourist attraction to the city of Astoria. I have been advised by a staff member of Washington Sen. Patty Murray any funding from the federal government will need to be matched by funds from local sources. Use the urban renewal monies on this project and a match from the federal government can take place.
The ship can be a highly attractive and popular tourist attraction, an economic building block in Northwest Oregon on the Columbia River. We must consider the economic impact by the prospective 325,000 visitors annually, or 890 daily, to Astoria.
The visitor spending in the Astoria community can make the USS Kitty Hawk an economic resource in the area. The prospective visitor potential is based on the 1,300,000 visitors annually to the USS Midway in San Diego, California, with a net income of $4,765,920 (2018). If the USS Kitty Hawk attracts 1/4 of what the USS Midway accomplishes, you will have a considerable economic impact.
I believe creation of the USS Kitty Hawk museum and cultural event
center museum and cultural center in the city of Astoria will be a successful
tourist attraction that will employ many Astorians and provide considerable
revenue to Astoria, the county of Clatsop and state of Oregon. This project
will have tremendous benefits to thousands of people.
Respectfully,
Bill Nix
Underwood, Washington