FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2001
Contact: Frank Lennon
(401) 831-8696
USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc.
Reaction to EDC Board Decision 12/17/01
Rhode Islanders and many across the country who support the effort to develop the USS Saratoga Museum at Quonset Point were buoyed by the December 10 vote by the Quonset Davisville Management Corporation board to grant a one-year extension for the project. This kind vote of confidence acknowledged the events of September 11 and a host of other issues that have affected several technical prerequisites as well as fundraising.
We were taken aback a week later when the Economic Development Corporation failed to endorse the Quonset Board's recommendation. With the resulting EDC vote a tie, the motion to accept the Quonset board recommendation failed. To our knowledge, this is only the second issue ever in the EDC Board's history which failed to gain an endorsement of a recommendation from the Quonset Board. The Quonset decision, much to our chagrin, was not supported by the current Administration.
The extension would have applied to a conditional approval originally granted by the EDC Board in September 1999. Built into that conditional approval was a clause that allowed EDC to bump this project at any time during the process if a bona fide tenant of greater potential value to the state wanted the same property. Any extension would have still contained that clause, so there seemed to be little risk for the EDC board to give more time to a project that offered so much potential benefit to so many Rhode Islanders.
To recap, our studies show this project will generate jobs, provide $30 million in annual economic impact and add $1.6 million in new direct tax revenues every year to the state's coffers. Eleven cities and towns acrosss the state, led by host community North Kingstown, have passed resolutions of support, recognizing these benefits as well as vocational training opportunities and safe haven prospects for our youth.
We are encouraged by the fact that all 4 members of the RI General Assembly on the EDC board, plus Providence restauranteur Josh Miller recognized these benefits and supported the extension. Last week all four legislators at the Quonset Board level also supported the extension. We would like to thank and acknowledge those elected officials by name: Senators Kevin Breene, William Walaska, Michael Lenihan and James Sheehan; and Representatives Suzanne Henseler, Melvoid Benson, and Bruce Long. (Representative Benson sits on both boards.)
We would also like to acknowledge the steadfast support of North Kingstown town government at all levels, the five members of the Town Council and especially the two Council members who sit on the Quonset Board. David Burnham and Dale Grogan have shared our vision from the outset and have supported the project at every QDMC vote.
"Come back when you have it all together" was the message from those who opposed the extension.
That means money.
Our strategy now is to raise as much money as we can over the next few months (and work ONLY on raising money), until we have raised enough money to cause the EDC Board to reconsider, or until we have a new administration that will understand the benefits of this vision to our state.
This setback at the EDC Board level has re-energized our all-volunteer effort. To use a football analogy, instead of first and goal at the ten we now face first and goal at the twenty-five.
Like American naval hero John Paul Jones, "We have not yet begun to fight."
With your help, we can prevail.
Frank Lennon
President
USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc.
http://www.saratogamuseum.org
401-831-8696
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