in the news yesterday...
Di Gennaro wants ‘Vandy' extension
By Kyle Teal
kteal@keynoter.com
Posted-Tuesday, April 22, 2008 7:01 PM EDT Email this story
Winter's now target time for scuttling
Key West and Monroe County officials say the May 15 target date to sink the USS Hoyt Vandenberg seven miles off Key West as an artificial reef isn't realistic, and some who have invested in the project now say the 520-foot retired military vessel could be scuttled by winter.
“I think the new deadline to try and move it down here is December,” County Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro said.
He said he'll push for a six-month deadline extension from the Tourist Development Council and County Commission for its $2 million pledged contribution.
“If they need more time, I'm willing to work with them,” Di Gennaro said. “We have to find ways to start raising money in this county, not raising taxes. The county should start thinking outside the box.”
Despite financial setbacks and unmet deadlines, advocates of the Vandenberg sinking insist it will happen and benefit the Keys' economy.
“It's not dead,” Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge said. “A May deadline is not possible, but it doesn't mean it's not possible to make a future deadline.”
Verge, project liaison for the city, said he hopes the ship can sink sometime this summer rather than winter, but it depends on funding issues that lead up to Tallahassee.
In the Legislature state Rep. Stan Mayfield added a line item to a bill that would provide $1.1 million for the project.
Verge said he's had many teleconference calls with banks, including BB&T Bank, that have invested loans in the project, and they will continue paying $20,000 dockage fees in Norfolk, Va., where the vessel is currently docked. BB&T Bank was at one time considering pulling its loans.
“We've been talking to them very amicably for six weeks,” Verge said. “We're all on friendly relations right now, trying to make this happen.”
Earlier this month, the shipyard working on the Vandenberg filed a lien against it and Reefmakers, one of the companies coordinating the project.
Colonna's Shipyard Inc. requested a lien of $1.64 million in unpaid repair and cleaning bills. The city holds the ship's title.
“They're indicating they're flexible,” Verge said. An attorney for the shipyard couldn't be reached.
The project is also 40 percent over 2006 cost estimates, in need of an extra $2.4 million.
Verge says there's no need to worry about the project dying. And he said investors including the county, city and TDC aren't at risk because they cannot release funding until the ship is sunk.
According to Verge, the U.S. Coast Guard doesn't want the vessel at its pier after June 1 - the start of hurricane season.
