All Dressed Up and nowhere to go

[PLB]

Seems that Galveston has decided they don't want to host the battleship Texas after all. I'm not sure what this is all about but I know there was a pier side restaurant complaining that it would block their "view" from the restaurant.
Their "view" being the Galveston ship channel and all the oil derricks parked at Gulf Copper that are under repairs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3LEuDiLyuE

Corpus Christi might be better anyway.

Paul

[James1978]

New Berth for Museum Ship USS Texas Under Debate
By John Grady
November 5, 2024

The last World War I-era American dreadnought USS Texas (BB-35) will remain in the Port of Galveston as a museum ship, but exactly where is the subject of a new set of negotiations between the trustees of that city’s wharves and the non-profit foundation that leases the battleship.

At a special meeting on Monday, the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves approved the appointment of a three-member panel to “meet as necessary” with the Battleship Texas Foundation to reach a possible agreement for the ship to remain in the city.

The foundation “looks forward to continuing negotiations with the Galveston Wharves Board, as decided during this morning’s special session of the board,” according to a Facebook posting. “We’re grateful for their efforts to clarify their position and the challenges in our negotiations, and are excited to work alongside them in the next steps.”

Attempts by USNI News to reach the foundation by email and telephone for further comment went unanswered.

At the moment, USS Texas, (BB-35), laid down in1912 at Newport News Shipbuilding with service in both world wars, remains pierside at Gulf Copper’s shipyard on nearby Pelican Island. The battleship was towed to the facility in 2022 for a multi-million dollar rebuild of its steel hull. The restorative work is expected to be finished sometime in 2025.

A year ago, the battleship foundation told news outlets that the “restoration project involves transforming the ship into a state-of-the-art visitor experience featuring interactive and technology-driven exhibits, augmented reality, holograms, guided tours, and integrations with cell phones. The ship will also be climate-controlled for year-round access.”

Victor Pierson, the trustees’ board chairman, described earlier talks, which broke down in October, about the battleship’s future in Galveston as water torture. “Drip, drip, drip, we didn’t make much progress,” he said.

Galveston Mayor Craig Brown, who is also a trustee and was named to the ad-hoc committee to resolve the issue, added: “the foundation is running out of time” to settle the issue.

The city, other stakeholders such as a pier operator and restaurant, and the foundation, need “to move this forward as expeditiously as possible.”

Rodger Rees, the port director, told Chron online news service last week that the length of the proposed lease with the port was a main sticking point. Concerned about the foundation’s long-term financial stability, trustees pushed for a 10-year lease with an option to renew. The foundation favored a term closer to 40 or 50 years.

On the first proposal to re-open the negotiations, Trustee James Yarborough said the foundation “needs to pony up [for consultants] and work shoulder-to-shoulder with our staff,” referring to the port director and legal counsel.

He added that there are five locations in the trustees’ port area that could berth Texas. “To me, we haven’t done due diligence with any of the options,” Yarborough said.

The battleship, which is owned by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the foundation holding a 99-year lease to operate it as a museum ship, “could be [placed] anywhere on port property,” Pierson said.

The lease between the state and the foundation was signed in 2019.

About 1.7 million passengers will pass through Galveston’s port this year. That number is projected to grow to 2 million in the next two years, the trustees’ finance staff reported. At the same time, voters approved a $155 million bond issue to improve the port. The port has already started expanding its cargo-handling capacity.

Derrick Guiterrez, the director of operations for Katie’s Seafood Restaurant, said he wants to “keep the battleship in Galveston,” but the trustees have to understand that the berthing location would have a direct impact on businesses like his. Katie’s Seafood Restaurant is on one of the possible berthing spots.

Guiterrez was one of three members of the public to speak at the meeting. He objected to using the site near his restaurant because it would close off water views for his customers. He said that as a result of the restaurant’s objections, social media reviews for Katie’s have turned overwhelmingly negative and a number of them are racist.

“That has to stop,” Pierson said about the racist comments.

Before the ship can be moved from Pelican Island, officials will need to obtain the necessary permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and other state and local agencies.

Declared a national historical landmark in the late 1970s, Texas operated in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II.

In the ship’s service account, the Naval History and Heritage Command said “a change in mission [from escort duty] took place in October and November 1942, when she provided heavy gunfire support during the invasion of North Africa. In April 1944 she began preparations for the Normandy landings, which began on 6 June 1944, with Texas‘ 14-inch and 5-inch guns firing on German positions ashore for several days. Her heavy guns were again active in August, this time in the Mediterranean Sea in support of landings in Southern France.

“Texas went to the Pacific, arriving in the war zone in time to take part in the February 1945 Iwo Jima invasion. From late March to late May, she operated off Okinawa, firing her guns against Japanese positions and helping to fight off suicide plane attacks.”

[PLB]

I've only been to Galveston once, so not that familiar with the surrounding area. Maybe somewhere down around Moody Gardens would be good. It's not too far from the piers and there are several attractions and a couple of hotels there.
Paul

[jemhouston]

They would have to build a pier and support infrastructure at Moody Gardens. Seawolf park might be an option, but that one is off the normal tourist beat.

Another idea would be near the OCEAN STAR MUSEUM. It's near the cruise ship terminals.