$8.6 million needed to sink SS United States in Gulf. Why some say it's worth the money.

Escambia County is exploring ways to pay for obtaining the retired passenger ship, SS United States, and sinking it in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef. Commissioners and the community support the idea, but the board agreed to look at funding options before deciding if they want to pursue it.

The proposed project was discussed at Escambia County board meetings on Thursday.

According to county staff, it would cost an estimated $8.6 million to tow the SS United States from Philadelphia where it’s docked now, clean out pollutants, then sink it in the Gulf of Mexico. That estimate comes from an unsolicited bid by the same Texas-based company that sunk the USS Oriskany in the Gulf off Escambia County in 2006.

Escambia’s Marine Advisory Committee asked commissioners to consider supporting the idea saying the ship would be a welcome addition to the area’s artificial reefs and provide a needed diving attraction that would be even bigger than the Oriskany, at nearly 1,000 feet long and roughly 175 feet tall.

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Escambia Commissioner Jeff Bergosh expressed the most support for the proposal.

“I just think this would be a huge win for Escambia County, the dive community, the fishing community, tourism. Speaking with folks and doing some research, it looks like the diving industry generates about $3 billion a year in the state of Florida, and the estimates are that this would generate $3 million a year in various tourism revenue,” Bergosh told the board during the agenda review meeting.

Nearly a dozen people including master divers, environmentalists, and charter boat captains spoke in support of sinking the SS United States later at the county's regular board meeting. Eilene Beard, who ran Scuba Shack/Wet Dream Charters in Pensacola for 40 years, wants to put $400,000 of money she already donated to Escambia County for marine resource management toward the project.

"I beseech you, I respectfully request, I hope that you will support this." Beard told the board. "It will bring so much economically, ecologically. When the Oriskany was put down, (there were) large donations, and every dollar brought back $150. It is a great public relations thing as well. If Escambia County had to pay for the public relations for that one day, sinking the Oriskany, it would have cost you $6.2 million," she added referring to the national and international press sinking the carrier received.

The president of the local chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association told commissioners their organization will donate $50,000 toward bringing and sinking the SS United States off Escambia County. The non-profit supports sportsman fishing and is get dedicated to marine fisheries and coastal conservation, education and advocacy.

Commissioners Steven Barry, Mike Kohler and Lumon May like the idea, but said their support mostly depends on how much funding the county can get for the project since all agree they do not want to pay for it with monies from Escambia’s General Fund or Local Option Sales Tax.

Due to the fact the SS United States would bring in tourists, commissioners are asking the Tourist Development Council to discuss the project and see if there’s interest in supporting it with Tourist Development Tax dollars, like Okaloosa County does to pay for the shipwrecks they sink as artificial reefs there.

Keith Mille with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Marine Fisheries Management, said the state would contribute $3 million to the project because the creation of artificial reefs off state waters is important for the environment as well as the economy.

"The benefits, as some of the prior speakers have mentioned, are enhancing our recreational fishing and diving opportunities, increasing reef fish habitat, promoting maritime heritage, and providing socioeconomic benefits to local communities," Mille explained. "In a number of studies, we have $3.1 billion in economic output generated by fishing and diving, specifically on Florida's artificial reefs in this area of the Gulf of Mexico. We're asking Escambia County to, with their local partnerships, identify the extra funds so we can construct this project."

In discussing funding options, county staff said they may also be able to tap into about $2 million of RESTORE Act funds.

“Typically, the projects that we've done so far with that RESTORE pot have been in the $2 million range,” said Escambia Senior Scientist Chips Kirschenfeld. “We're also in communication with the city of Orange Beach, Walton County, Okaloosa County, and Santa Rosa County. We do think we can get some contributions from them also.”

Commissioners May and Barry questioned if an “educational component” to the project could open opportunities for support from the state, University of West Florida, or Triumph Gulf Coast.

“Even if it's not a large chunk,” said Steven Barry, “if we were able to get $500,000 or something that represents 10% or less of the project because of the educational component that we could tie in with the university like Lumon was talking about. Education is one of the metrics for Triumph funding. Maybe that's a possibility.”

Even if the county comes up with the money to pay for sinking the ship, commissioners pointed out there are other county projects that need funding, too. The Pensacola Bay Center is estimated to need nearly $140 million in various costs over the next 20 years to stay “relevant,” and millions more are needed for a new indoor multi-use sports facility at Ashton Brosnaham Park, a longtime priority for District 5.

Barry also emphasized the importance of ensuring a new artificial reef project like this is accessible to recreational divers. He was on the planning board for sinking the USS Oriskany, which has settled so low most of the ship is only accessible to highly skilled technical divers.

The SS United States has been docked in Philadelphia for nearly 30 years, but the ship is being evicted and must be gone by mid-September. The SS United States Conservancy has been working to save and repurpose the ship. In a statement to the News Journal, a representative for the conservancy says that while sinking “America’s Flagship” is not their first choice, they would prefer that to seeing it scrapped altogether.

“The Conservancy is actively and aggressively pursuing all options for the future of the SS United States as we work to comply with the court's deadline for removal of the vessel from her current pier. Our highest priority remains locating a safe temporary or permanent location for the ship and ultimately her redevelopment as a dynamic stationary, mixed-use destination,” the statement read.

“While converting the vessel into an underwater, artificial reef is clearly not our first choice for the future of America's Flagship, it presents several advantages over scrapping the vessel, including the retention of her economic and tourism potential for those willing to invest in such a scenario. These plans could also encompass the Conservancy's land-based museum that would educate the public about the ship's historical importance. As the Conservancy continues its exhaustive search for possible berths for the ship, we are open to exploring the prospect of reefing as a fallback scenario.”

Bergosh, who is a member of the Tourist Development Council, said he will bring the proposal up for discussion at the next TDC meeting and asked staff to prepare a presentation. TDC leadership told commissioners they already support the diving community and would love to see the SS United States sunk here, but they'll need to look for funding. If there’s support from the TDC board, Bergosh hopes the county can work out a lease extension for the SS United States until Escambia County can make arrangements to tow it here after hurricane season.

The local dive community is also collecting money for the cause and says the ship would be a huge boost to business and put Pensacola back on the map when it comes to diving.

"I don't think there's any disagreement this ship will benefit Escambia County financially and from a stakeholder's perspective so many people are here with checks in hand ready to do this," said Brady Hale, founder of the nonprofit Ocean Strike Team. "I can think of no better use of tax dollars than an ROI of $2 to $3 million a year that doesn't cost us a thing after we drop it."

Escambia’s next TDC meeting is Aug. 20 at 3 p.m. at the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: SS United States could be Escambia's next artificial reef with funding