This morning (April 9) representatives of the USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc. will ask the Quonset/Davisville Management Corporation’s board of directors to recommend that the state’s initial approval of its plans be extended for six months.
Such an extension would actually have to come from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation’s board of directors at a meeting later this month. The recommendation of the QDMC board, however, would go a long way.
We urge the QDMC board, and in turn, the EDC board, to do the right thing and give the USS Saratoga Foundation the extension it seeks so efforts to develop a Heritage & Technology Park at Quonset Point — the cornerstone of which would be the USS Saratoga — will not be slowed.
According to the volunteers who are working to make the Heritage & Technology Park a reality, all is going according to plan. Several significant grants have been obtained – including one for $500,000 from the Champlin Foundations. The state Senate and House have also given financial support.
We do not suspect that the state boards will hesitate to help the foundation. In September 1999 the EDC granted the foundation approval of its plans for a year-long period, and then extended it for an additional six months. That six months will soon expire. And the foundation has not yet received official word from the U.S. Navy regarding its attempts to acquire the USS Saratoga.
The good news is that it appears that the Navy will ultimately approve the transfer and that Rhode Island — perhaps within a couple of years — will have an exciting new tourist attraction of which it can be proud.
The Saratoga Foundation volunteers have worked hard to get where they are today. At every step, they have acted in the best interests of the state. The Heritage & Technology Park will be a terrific addition to the state. It will create jobs and tax revenues. It will honor all five services.
It is a project that makes perfect sense for Rhode Island. We urge the Economic Development Corporation to continue its well-placed support.
