Editorial: Could historic cruise ship find a final resting place in Laguna Madre waters?

1 week ago 31

In many ways the Rio Grande Valley is a land of dreams. It goes beyond the dreams of the countless people from other countries dreaming of new lives and whose first steps in the land of opportunity were trod here. Despite our humble conditions we have always dreamed big, celebrating others who dreamed and succeeded. We still hear stories of the visits of aviation pioneers Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart — a statue of Earhart recently was unveiled in Brownsville.

Some of our own dreams have succeeded, such as the all-too-recent wish of having a top-notch institute of higher education; now both major state universities building respected campuses here — including a medical and research school, and Division I college football will be seen here within a year.

And who would have dreamed, just a few years ago, that rockets headed to the moon and even Mars could take off from the mouth of the Rio Grande?

Of course, not all dreams are realized, such as our efforts to bring Dallas Cowboys spring training and a Major League Baseball spring league to the area. But such dreams are still worth having.

Could a symbol of such dreams make its way to the shores of our Valley?

A historic cruise ship, aptly named the USS United States, now sits on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, and is looking for a new home. If it doesn’t find one it likely will be cut up for scrap or sunk to create an artificial reef. As one of the nation’s top sites in the shipbreaking industry, the Valley could be the final destination for the ship anyway.

But instead of being cut up here, what if it were docked in the Laguna Madre, renovated and used as a tourist attraction — even an events center or floating casino?

The SSUS, as it is known, is one of the last of the classic cruise ships. Longer than three football fields, it’s bigger than the Titanic. Unlike the modern-day floating hotels, this was made for carrying people in luxury from Europe to the United States and back in the days before jet transportation. It was built for speed — it still holds the trans-Atlantic speed record, which it set in 1952.

To be sure, preserving the ship would be a major undertaking. Shipping and renovation coasts, as well as maintenance and staffing, would be costly, and a pier would have to be built to accommodate it.

A conservancy group dedicated to the ship has been established and has funds to help defray some of those costs.

Once ready for use, the US could compare to the USS Lexington further up the coast. Corpus Christi officials report that the retired aircraft carrier draws more than 300,000 visitors each year, who also stop at local restaurants, hotels and other tourist sites and add millions to the city’s economy.

Could the United States bring similar benefits to South Padre Island?

Depending on its placement, it could be a prime spot for people who want to watch SpaceX rocket launches. And if and when casino gambling is allowed in this state, that could be another use for the vessel.

Costs and logistics might put such an endeavor out of reach of anyone who might bold enough to try bringing the US to the Valley. For the time being, however, it costs nothing to dream.

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