The JFK CV-67 Challenge

Aircrew are lifted from the flight deck. US Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Jim Hampshire.

The JFK CV-67 Memorial Foundation's mission to preserve the recently decommissioned U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67) aircraft carrier as a maritime museum is not without challenges.  The lengthy process requires the Foundation to expend considerable time, effort, and funds as it partners with state and local governments to secure a site and create a viable, self-sustaining business plan which will convince the Secretary of the Navy to release the vessel.
 
The Foundation must surmount two underlying obstacles.  The first significant hurdle will be securing local governments’ commitment for the proposed location of the carrier as a tourist attraction/museum.   Once that is accomplished, the next critical step lies in the need for Congress to change the vessel’s present status, remove her from any potential future active duty and permit her to be transformed as envisioned by the Foundation and host communities.
 
The Foundation has identified two ideal loactions in south Florida for berthing the vessel:  the “FEC Slip” in Miami’s planned “Museum Park,” or adjacent to the Broward County Convention Center at Port Everglades, just 25 miles to the north in Fort Lauderdale.  Both locations feature deep-water access, temperate year-round weather and, most importantly, thriving tourist bases to support the ship as a museum and attraction in perpetuity.  The Foundation’s proposal at either location would include a permanent dry-dock facility within which the ship would be welded in-place to mitigate against potential storm surge damage and ease future maintenance requirements.

The projected positive economic impact of the attraction in terms of additional attendant lodging, restaurant and associated visitor expenditures provides a strong incentive to both cities and counties.

The Permanent Dry-Dock Preservation Concept

The Foundation’s plans include a Permanent Dry-Dock, unique in connection with the berthing of a Naval Museum.  Traditionally, floating museums are required to employ various forms of cathodic protection to reduce the long term corrosive effects of salt water on steel.  Additionally, the Navy requires an approved hurricane/mooring plan to ensure each donated vessel’s security through  foreseeable weather events including flood and wind threats.

We propose, at either location, to secure the ship in an enclosed tank of fresh water.  Although originally envisioned to mitigate the threat of hurricane-driven tidal surge, we determined that this approach, had significant additional benefits related to cost-of-maintenance savings, while guaranteeing the museum's long-term operational integrity

Conceived by JFK CV-67 Memorial Foundation President, Paul Troxell, the plan calls for the design and construction of a specialized dry-dock in advance of the ship’s placement, to include several ingenious modifications.  Traditionally, ships float into a dry dock through gates that are subsequently secured prior to lowering the water level.  This allows the vessel to rest on strategically placed bracing members on the dry-dock floor allowing maintenance on a temporary basis.  Our approach takes it many steps further, permanently securing the vessel in place.

1995: USS JFK at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Photo courtesy www.maritimequest.com.

During construction we plan to imbed dozens of specially-engineered steel beams deep into the sub-floor protruding four feet above the floor.  The vessel will rest on the beams’ ends, with its weight distributed equally.  It will be welded permanently in place, effectively changing “Big John’s” status from that of a ship, to something more akin to a building.  Once permanently in place, and ready to embark upon her final assignment as the John F. Kennedy Maritime Museum, we will fill the ship’s holding tank with fresh water.  This will significantly reduce the need for cathodic protection and considerably lengthen the time until a fresh coat of paint will be needed.  Whenever the vessel needs new paint or other hull repairs, the tank will be drained allowing all hull maintenance to be done in-place, eliminating the disruptive, expensive and time-consuming process of closing down the museum and moving the vessel. 

The Slip Is A Trip

Scuba Learning Center with structured children's programs.

The proposed dry-dock also will become an attraction of its own!  A sub-level viewing room nearest the stern of the ship will allow visitors to descend to the holding tank to view the massive propellers and other to-be-determined “artifacts.”  A PADI-sanctioned scuba learning center can enable “Resort Course” dive training and pre-cruise certification dives to a depth of 35' in our shark-free fresh water tank, as well as shallow-water learning.  These features would be available for children's groups at no cost through our corporately sponsored education and outreach programs.

The USS Intrepid Example

While Manhattan’s “Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum” apparently attained profitability after years of operation in the red, she recently began the process of a necessary two-year renovation at a projected $70 million cost.  Her example points to the difficulty of running a truly profitable ship museum in northern climates, even in a place like New York City, as year-round costs ultimately overwhelm seasonal visitor revenues.  Though the vast majority of the cash price tag is tied directly to dock replacement, the actual, true cost must include the opportunity costs associated with the loss of momentum, goodwill, corporate sponsor programs, valued employees, volunteers and management, plus the unrecoverable loss of two years worth of revenue.  Additional costs to be considered include those associated with re-staffing, training, and regaining market traction upon re-opening for business in 2008.

Construction Cost Comparison To Other Attractions

We have not yet obtained engineered drawings and bids.  However, the ultimate cost of construction for the USS John F. Kennedy Maritime Museum’s permanent dry-dock home must be assessed against the backdrop of lost opportunity costs inherent in other mooring alternatives. 

Whatever the final cost to secure and prepare the USS John F. Kennedy for life as the John F. Kennedy Maritime Museum, it will pale in comparison to the cost of construction for every other major museum, sports stadium and entertainment venue recently developed, or on the drawing boards in south Florida.  The majority of our construction costs end where theirs begin - at the foundation.  While in-place retrofits will include the cost of elevators, escalators and a massive new air conditioning system (much of which may be obtained at reduced cost through in-kind corporate sponsorship).  The rest of “the building”:

A $1.5 billion steel structure - featuring a 4.5 acre deck with an ocean view, displaying dozens of multimillion dollar aircraft exhibits (obtained at an average cost of $75,000) and hosting functions for upwards of 4,000 people per evening …is donated for free!

At this time, south Florida lacks significant featured attractions to retain visitors, as compared to San Diego, for example, which boasts The San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, and now the USS Midway.  The Foundation will demonstrate that the addition of “Big John” as an anchor featured attraction in either city will “lift all boats,” not only paying its own way but providing increased revenues to all stakeholders, including the cities, counties and state. It will provide financial analyses and related statistics to support its contention that the attraction will change human behavior, resulting in additional overnight stays by cruisers who will leave either an adjacent port, or one a mere twenty-five miles away. 

Recently Completed Or Proposed South Florida Attractions

Consider each of the following high profile projects in terms of their cost, as weighed against the benefit they deliver to the hospitality industry, as measured by the overnight stays they generate:

Both locations offer ready exposure to two other significant groups of potential visitors.  The cities’ respective nearby convention centers afford easy access for groups already planning meetings, conventions and other gatherings.  Another key group of visitors - who might not otherwise schedule a visit to south Florida - are United States Navy personnel and veterans, including not only those who served on the ship, along with their families, but all Navy enthusiasts who will relish the opportunity to explore the carrier.

In addition to destination tourists, the carrier will serve a multitude of community needs ranging from an educational platform to a historic monument to a unique venue for events including formal dinners, deck-top cocktail parties and business meetings.

Once the local governments confirm their location commitments, the Foundation will finalize development of a highly detailed business plan, a critical component of the application to the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), Dr. Donald C. Winter, for consideration to acquire CV-67 under its Ship Donation Program.  The plan must demonstrate the long-term viability of the project which will result in sufficient cash-flow to maintain the ship in perpetuity to the Navy’s exacting standards.

The Foundation is guided by the success of San Diego's “Midway Magic Foundation” which set the “Gold Standard” for the Navy’s donation of an aircraft carrier during its successful 12-year campaign to secure and operate the USS Midway as a major tourist attraction, “The San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum,” (“SDACM”) in the heart of San Diego's historic waterfront.  In its first two years of operation, the USS Midway has proven its metal once again, as museum visitation and revenues generated by its 800,000-plus annual visitors have surpassed all prior estimates.  The JFK CV-67 Memorial Foundation owes a deep debt of gratitude to the SDACM management for its assistance and support in furthering its vision.

Developing a Strategic Vision:
 
Our success depends upon identifying the various constituents impacted by the ultimate success or failure of our efforts.  We must recognize the potential champions and opponents, anticipate both their aspirations and concerns, and prepare to address each in advance to the extent practicable.  While saving the JFK is our primary goal, we cannot forget to emphasize the direct economic benefits to south Florida’s economy and its hospitality industry.  

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