Pensacola considers sinking SS United States as new dive site attraction

COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE DISCUSSING A NEW DIVE ATTRACTION. IT'S AN EFFORT TO BRING THE SS UNITED STATES, A RETIRED OCEAN LINER, TO OUR WATERS. THIS COMES AFTER A LOCAL DIVER WENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE NEED TO PUT MORE ARTIFICIAL REEFS AND GULF WATERS LAST WEEK, COMMISSIONER JEFF BERGOSH TOOK TO HIS BLOG POST TO SHARE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SHIP. A LOCAL DIVE SHOP PRESIDENT SUPPORTS THE IDEA SAYING IT COULD HELP DRAW IN MORE DIVERS DIVERS COME TO ESCAMBIA COUNTY FOR NUMEROUS DIVE SITES FROM WRECKS, NATURAL BOTTOMS AND ARTIFICIAL REEFS. THERE'S ONE SITE THAT DRAWS DIVERS FROM ALL OVER THE USS ORISKANY. NOW THERE'S A CHANCE OF AN EVEN BIGGER ADDITION. THE SS UNITED STATES. ESCAMBIA COUNTY COMMISSIONER JEFF BERGOSH SAID IN HIS BLOG POST. THE SHIP IS NEARLY 1000FT. IT'S LARGER THAN THE ORISKANY AND EVEN LONGER THAN THE TITANIC. >>PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THE ORISKANY. WELL, ONCE THEY'VE SEEN THAT, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF A ONE TRICK PONY. WE HAVE A FEW SMALL WRECKS, BUT NOTHING TREMENDOUS LIKE THE SS UNITED STATES WOULD BE. >>CARRIE FREELAND IS THE PRESIDENT FOR DIVE PROS IN PENSACOLA. HE SAYS SINKING THE SS UNITED STATES IN OUR WATERS WILL BOOST TOURISM. >>THERE WAS A STUDY DONE AFTER SINKING OF THE ORISKANY, A COUPLE YEARS AFTER SINKING IN THE ORISKANY THAT STATED THAT IF WE'D HAD A COMPANIONSHIP SIMILAR THAT OUR NET REVENUE INCOME FROM THE TOURISM WOULD BE EVEN GREATER. SO I KNOW THAT IT WILL DEFINITELY INCREASE TOURISM FOR OUR AREA >>IN HIS BLOG POST, BERGOSH SAYS THE GOAL WOULD BE TO SINK SS UNITED STATES AT AN EASY DEPTH FOR RECREATIONAL DIVERS TO ENJOY. HE SAYS THE ORISKANY SITS AT ABOUT 230FT DEEP, WITH ONLY THE TOP OF THE TOWER BEING REACHABLE FOR RECREATIONAL DIVERS. HE SAYS THIS COULD BE A $10 MILLION COMMITMENT. FREELAND SAYS IT'S COSTLY BUT COULD BE WORTH IT IN THE LONG RUN. WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE CAN REEF THE ORISKANY SUCCESSFULLY AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THESE THINGS, THESE REEFS IS WE MAY SPEND SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS GETTING THE SHIP OUT THERE, BUT IT'S UNLIKE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WHEN YOU BUILD A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE COMMUNITY CENTER YOU GOT TO MOW THE GRASS, PAINT THE BUILDING >>THESE THINGS, THEY JUST LAY OUT THERE IN THE GULF AND KEEP ON PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR TOURISM >>BERGOSH SAYS THE COUNTY WOULD NEED TO GET THE FUNDS AND MOVE THE SHIP FROM PENNSYLVANIA. ALL BEFORE SEPTEMBER 12TH. FREELAND SAYS THE TIMELINE IS FAST, BUT CAN BE DONE >>IT WILL BE LIGHTNING STRIKING TWICE IT STRUCK THE FIRST TIME WHEN WE GOT THE ORISKANY. A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T SAY WE WOULD GET THAT SHIP IS IT IS IT POSSIBLE? YES BUT A LOT OF THINGS GOT TO HAPPEN IN A PRETTY QUICK KIND OF WAY. >>HE SAYS HE'S EFFORTING TO GET THE FUNDS STARTED. >>WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO DONATE MONEY TO THE SINKING OF THE SS UNITED STATES. WE WANT TO, EARMARK THE MONEY THAT SUCH THAT IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THE SHIP, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THESE PEOPLE COULD GET THEIR DONATIONS BACK. BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PUT TOGETHER A GRASSROOTS EFFORT AND TO SHOW THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE INVOLVED AND WANT THIS TYPE OF A WRECK TO BE SUNK OUT THERE >>THE MARINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL MEET MONDAY AT 5:30 P.M. TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE SS UNITED STATES. WE'LL HAVE A LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE