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USS SARATOGA MUSEUM FOUNDATION, INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Frank Lennon
FINAL SARATOGA APPLICATION SUBMITTED TO NAVYFormal announcement in Federal Register starts clock ticking on final leg of award process.The USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc.'s formal application for donation of the aircraft carrier now moored at Pier 1 in Middletown as the centerpiece of a museum and memorial at Quonset Point has been submitted to Naval Sea Systems Command. The final document consists of three loose leaf binders totaling about 1200 pages, which took museum volunteers more than a year to complete. The application itself is 600 pages long, and the market research, financial feasibility and traffic studies add 300 more. The last 300 pages represent copies of the letters of support and media coverage. Foundation directors Frank Lennon and Bill Sheridan personally delivered the documentation to the Navy's Ship Donation Program Office in Arlington, VA on October 17. Acknowledging receipt of the application, the Navy published notice in the October 27 Federal Register (copy attached) establishing April 17, 2001 as the deadline for any other submissions. Once this six month statutory clock expires, the Navy is free to award the ship to the Rhode Island foundation. The application covered engineering, environmental and other technical i ssues, such as a mooring plan sufficient to withstand the 100-year storm. "Blake Henderson and his staff at Northeast Engineers & Consultants of Middletown performed the extensive engineering work required," said Lennon. "They did a marvelous job under trying conditions, and we are extremely grateful for their involvement," he concluded. The financial section of the application dealt with how the Foundation intends to fund the capital costs needed to open the museum (estimated at $7.5 million) as well to keep it going (and properly maintain the ship) once it opens its doors. "We hired one of the top firms in the country for the market demand and financial feasibility studies," said Lennon. The Office of Thomas J. Martin of Cambridge, MA performed the work. Martin concluded the project will pay for itself from the day it opens its doors, in addition to creating as many as 600 jobs and having an annual economic impact of more than $30 million. The last two sections of the application dealt with benefits to be derived by local communities and the state, and also long-term benefits to the Navy (such as recruiting). Foundation officials believe that completion and submission of this application will raise the project's credibility in the eyes of state officials as well as potential financing sources. "With this submission we not only fulfill all of the Navy requirements for donation of this massive asset, but we also meet virtually all of the conditions imposed by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation," he stated. The final step is to raise approximately $2.5 million to qualify for an investment banking commitment of $5 million. The Foundation Board, in collaboration with the USS Saratoga veterans association, made the conscious decision to complete all the other requirements before launching its national fund raising campaign. Full details about the project, as well as information on how to participate, can be found on the project's website at: -30- Notice of Deadline for Submission of Donation Application for the Aircraft Carrier ex-Saratoga (CV-60) October 27, 2000 12:00am; The Federal Register Corporation : DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Notice of Deadline for Submission of Donation Application for the Aircraft Carrier ex-Saratoga (CV-60) AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy hereby gives notice of the deadline of April 17, 2001 for submission of a donation application for the Aircraft Carrier ex-Saratoga (CV-60) under the authority of 10 U.S.C. section 7306. Ex-Saratoga (CV-60) is located at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility detachment, Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island. Eligible recipients include:
(1) Any State, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof; Transfer of a vessel under this law shall be made at no cost to the United States. The transferee will be required to maintain the vessel in a condition satisfactory to the Secretary of the Navy as a static museum/memorial. Prospective transferees must submit a comprehensive, detailed application addressing their plans for managing the significant financial, technical, environmental, and curatorial responsibilities that accompany ships donated under this program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Gloria Carvalho, Navy Ship Donation Program, Program Executive Office for Expeditionary Warfare (PEO EXW), PMS333, Inactive Ship Program Office, Naval Sea Systems Command, 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5171, telephone number (703) 602-7098. Dated: October 19, 2000. J.L. Roth, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-27521 Filed 10-25-00; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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