Mayport Cruise Ship Terminal Proposal

[vicupstate]

Not taking sides, reed, but I think what CS is saying is that Mayport has already decided that obscurity and vacant lots IS the path they want.

I have spent very little time in Mayport, and don't remember it too well.  What little I do remember was not visiually pleasing.  Strictly from the standpoint of the village residents, they have little to gain by a terminal.  The city as a WHOLE would benefit, but it would be at their expense. 

Their way of life is threatened, and since most don't seem to own their residences, they would not benefit from property value increases, but would instead lose their homes.     

It's really a shame the cruise terminal can't go DT, because that would be a great place for it, but for the Dames Point bridge clearance. 

[Charles Hunter]

Not taking sides, reed, but I think what CS is saying is that Mayport has already decided that obscurity and vacant lots IS the path they want.

It's really a shame the cruise terminal can't go DT, because that would be a great place for it, but for the Dames Point bridge clearance. 

Unless by "downtown" you mean the Ford plant near the stadium - the Hart and Mathews bridges are more than 10 feet shorter than Dames Point (and the JEA power lines, same height as, and east of the DPB).

My earlier comment about sensitive in design, is not plop an ultra-modern design in the village, but something that reflects the history (and no, I don't mean it should look like single-wides).

[CS Foltz]

Gentlemen.............I stand by my posts! Either way, for or against, for better or worse, Mayport deserves the opportunity to decide for themselves don't you think? Bank of Jacksonville may not be able to finance one more Vescor Project plain and simple. I don't know of any Cruise Line that will finance a "Terminal" which means private investors or other financial entity's! With the economy being what it is, I don't see Jacksonville being able to fund much of anything.........I mean after all, we are going to be $58 Million Dollars in the hole next October Budget cycle and if the City keeps going the way it is, Johnny may not make it to the end of his term...but that is just my take!

[JeffreyS]

Yes the NIMBYs must always have the last say.

[CS Foltz]

JeffreyS............I agree!

[tufsu1]

I don't know of any Cruise Line that will finance a "Terminal" which means private investors or other financial entity's! With the economy being what it is, I don't see Jacksonville being able to fund much of anything.........I mean after all, we are going to be $58 Million Dollars in the hole next October Budget cycle and if the City keeps going the way it is, Johnny may not make it to the end of his term...but that is just my take!

CS...there are situations where cruise companies have paid for portions of terminals...the newest one in Port Everglades for Royal Caribbean is one example.

Nevertheless, do you understand that a new terminal would likely be built by JPA....which is an independent authority, separate from the City? 

Most likely they will need to float bonds to build the terminal...and if the plan isn't good, they won't get the financing.

[mtraininjax]

CS - I commend you for your passion! However, Mayport is going to lose, and the reason is that JaxPort and the CITY need this revenue and the handful of residents in Mayport will not be able to stop the steamroller of press that Nancy Rubin and the JaxPort are gearing up for now. Mayport can evolve as other communities have in the face of change. A new area for cruise ships could only add more focus and revenue to an area of town that is really forgotten. Cape Canaveral has found a way to make the 3 cruise ship terminals work there for their folks who live in the area, and just imagine the revenue 3 ships would bring to our area for small businesses and those who live at the beach as a new job opportunity.


With so much upside, and little downside for all of Jacksonville, I don't believe that Mayport stands a chance.

[ProjectMaximus]

Ford Assembly Plant?

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/04/05/daily42.html

[CS Foltz]

mtraininjax you do have a point! However there is one stumbling block I don't see Nancy Rubin or Jaxport end running............that would be funding! Unless they try and bond it out (maybe but not likely) City of Jacksonville won't be able fund squat and at the rate they are going, we may well be bankrupt by then! I have no preference one way or the other, but feel that Mayport deserves to float their own boat and Vescor is just interested in making money! That is my biggest gripe about the whole thing............Vescor is a boil on the back side of Jacksonville and yet we keep giving the our tax money (Thanks Johnny!) breaks on low interest loans, two that total $34.5 Million Dollars, interest only payments instead of principal plus interest and lets not forget about the property that was bought there in Mayport for Condos and Townhouses! Yeah...............Mr Rood is hard at work trying to earn a living right? Anyone want to bet that Gate Concrete will be involved in wharf and buildings if they ever got enough money together to build a Cruise Terminal? Mayport doesn't want it.........then move the damn thing, I mean eminent domain was used to acquire property for the Dames Point Shipping Facility where Hanjin is going to be hot and heavy...........those people did not want that there either! Rood wants a Cruise Terminal, they have to do something with the River spoils when they deepen the sea end of the St Johns so poof!!!!! Instant Island and instant cruise terminal property.............this is just my take!

[thelakelander]

Didn't Vestcor already sell all of their property in Mayport to JAXPORT?

[CS Foltz]

Could not tell you lake.........did they?

[blizz01]

Come.  On.

I think my 2 least favorite cities are now L.A. & Savannah (although it's sort of impossible to have disdain for Savannah).......
From The Jacksonville Business Journal:
Savannah gains in cruise pursuit

While the Jacksonville Port Authority decides how it will stay in the cruise business, its neighbor to the north is wasting no time getting in on the action â€" even if it means snatching cruise ships from Northeast Florida.
Savannah secured $50,000 in state funding to study building a home port for cruise ships, bring its research chest to $130,000.
This raises the flag to the cruise ship industry that we're taking this very seriously," said Alderman Tony Thomas, according to SMS reporter Lesley Conn. "We're advancing this to more of a reality to be a home port. If the feasibility study comes back positive, I believe Savannah is well-positioned to capitalize on a new extension of our tourism industry that could amount to tens of millions of dollars a year."
Savannah has already chosen a potential cruise terminal site. It expects to complete a cruise study by early fall.
Cruise consultant Peter Whelpton told the city in November that it could be home ports for ships with a 2,500 to 3,500 passenger capacity, according to the Savannah Morning News. If Savannah attracts cruise ships, it's unclear how it will affect Jacksonville.
A new Jacksonville cruise terminal is needed because the current site at Dames Point is the future home of Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.'s new container terminal, which is expected to open late 2013. According to the timeline given by David Kulik, authority board chairman, the port should make a decision by the end of this month.

From the Savannah Morning News:
http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2010-05-08/cruise-study-lands-50000-state-funds

[Mattius92]

Savannah will probably get all our cruise ships and more, Jaxport needed to have gotten on the road much sooner if they wanted to get a new cruise terminal in. Plus the Port of Savannah has a 55' deep shipping channels for their port and they only have one bridge to worry about, and it has 185' of clearance.

[tufsu1]

It is not JaxPort's fault that the folks in Mayport are stuck in the early-to-mid 1900's

[thelakelander]

Good move by Savannah.  If they can locate a terminal closer to the historic district, they won't have any bridge to worry about.  This is a competitive world and if we can't figure something out locally, you can bet your bottom dollar, if there's money to be made, another place will.