Recommendation to request City Manager to investigate the feasibility of bringing the USS RANGER (CV-61) Super Carrier to the City of Long Beach and report back to City Council and direct City Attorney to prepare a resolution stating the City of Long Beach has an interest in the USS Ranger (CV-61) Super Carrier.
Item 18 Communication from Councilman Andrews and Councilman Richardson. Recommendation to require City Manager to investigate bringing the USS Ranger to Long Beach and report back to city council and direct city attorney to prepare a resolution stating Long Beach has an interest in the USS Ranger super carrier. GONZALES Councilmember Andrews. Thank you, Mayor. You know, the USS Ranger served our country since 1957 from Vietnam War to the Desert Storm. USS Ranger has aided Americans in many war zones. It was even cast in a high cost movie called Topgun. Today, we have an opportunity to look for a possibility permanent home for the vessel on Long Beach. It is a simple task and there will be no general funds used for this project. I recognize that there are reports that the vessel will be sold for scrap. However, the small chance may be to house it here. I think the USS Ranger is worth our time. You know, to chance it, anything is possible, especially when we are working with our veterans that serve our country. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Richardson. Thank you. So thank you, Councilmember Andrews, for bringing this forward and out of respect for our veterans. I think we ought to, you know, take a good look at what we can do to reuse or or activate this ship. I got to say, it's a big boat. It's a super carrier. I just want to see what it looks like in person at some point. But. But, hey, I think it's too early. It's early in the conversation. If Councilmember Andrews has an opportunity out there for us to look and see how this can be brought to Long Beach, I think it's well worth us looking into. So thank you. Thank you. Any public comment on the item? Any public comment on the item, Casey? None. I'm sorry. Is that someone coming forward? Please come forward quickly. And please identify yourself for the record. Good evening, counsel. My name? Name's Robert Harmon. I live in Cambodia, town 1305 East 14th Street, right across MacArthur Park. Proud Lumbee Citizen. I congratulate you on winning an election in the best cities on God's green earth. And there's an opportunity here to bring a modern marvel to Long Beach. Thank you. Take a look. Alert five. Helicopter. What's most. My first one. He. Home. Sweet home. It's a real beautiful ship. Okay. Time is. Time's up. Contain the video, please. Thank you, counsel, for your time. Actually, your time your time is up. So thank you very much. All right. Thank you. I'm available for questions. Thank you very much. Okay. Seeing no other public comment, I'm going to bring this back to the council, Councilmember Austin. Well, actually, I had a quite a couple of questions. I think this is a very interesting idea brought forth by a council member, Andrews and Richardson. You know, I received a few calls and emails from constituents who are interested in this this this item as well. You know, I do understand that this is moving forward. A vote here today would just instruct the city manager to do a feasibility study in terms of whether or not it's feasible to place it here in the city where that could be placed. But I'm interested in knowing the what kind of capacity the organization had that requested this come forth. What kind of capacity do you have right now to to fund the the movement or the transport of this super carrier to Long Beach? And and and how would you sustain that? All right. We have the full fundraising machine of some very prominent people in the city supporting us. And we do have a community of over 50,000 Ranger men spanning three generations. We have friends in high places where I would be here tonight. We can do this. It's not too much for Long Beach. We can bring it. Well, I really I don't know if you really answered my question, but the. Fundraising machine is is ready and activated. We just need a green light from the city council. We have our articles of incorporation. We're ready to go. We just need some pledges and we'll get underway. We can do this. Okay. So is your organization starting from the ground up right now? We have concept with the dream and it's okay if you are just. I just started a new a new nonprofit organization. The one who is putting the bid together for Portland dissolved after they couldn't move a bridge to get the Ranger underneath for Portland. There's a lot of heartbroken people in Portland. That whole apparatus is going to be behind me to help make this happen. The project manager and all of that teamwork will be directed in this city, focused around getting you here. And just if you could give us some logistics here regarding the super carrier, how big is this in comparison, say, to the Queen Mary? How big is this? What's the capacity in terms of population? How many people can actually be on on a on a super carrier? It's just about the same size, a 1100 feet long. It's about the same length. We have some spots picked out, chosen. We will consult with the authorities in Long Beach. There's actually some place that will revitalize a portion of downtown. It's it's perfect. We have a good spot to just have to consult with everybody. As far as people. When we broke 5500 people is a good solid answer. Okay. Well, thank you very much. And you know what? It doesn't hurt to to to to have a vision. And so I appreciate you bringing this forth. And again, I appreciate Councilmember Andrews and Richardson for bringing this forth. And thank you for your consideration. I just want to assure you we can do this. Thank you. Councilmember Ringa. Before you leave. Yes, sir? One quick question. You mentioned that it's scheduled for disbanding. What is that schedule? Are we working on a timeline here? We are on a timeline. The the thing is, is that there's Nimitz class carriers coming out of service soon. They need to make room. They're actually getting rid of all the old aircraft carriers and making way for the Nimitz class carriers who are ending their lifespan so they can be in put in ready reserve. So basically, Uncle Sam's cleaning out the attic. This is the last opportunity to have a super carrier anywhere on earth for public display because all the super carriers are gone. This is the last one. So what are we looking at? We're looking at by the. End of the year. Actually, they can close a deal any time. But we have friends in high places. They're trying to stall the contract for us. They're buying us time because it's it's a national treasure and they're rooting for us. But they've had it under and it's been like going on and on. And on and. On. In the Pacific Northwest, when I realized that we were like on a code blue status, being a ship's corpsman, I ran in here to try and save the ship because without an intervention should be scrapped. When I realized that my shipmates up in the Pacific Northwest were unable to work out a way to get here under a bridge to Portland. I jumped in, said, there's no bridges we got to worry about here in Long Beach. So I hope I answered your question. Yeah, thank you. I'm going to move on to Councilmember Gonzales, but just also is a note that the agenda item calls the city manager to come back to council with all the appropriate information after. And the city manager will do a thorough discussion, obviously not just with the parties here, but with with everyone involved, to give the council all the information. Make his job very easy. Sir, please don't. Don't interrupt me. Thank you very much, Councilwoman Gonzales. Thank you. So I just have a question. I'm trying to realize this myself. And what are where are the thoughts of where this would be put? I know that we are going to have a feasibility study, but I'm just trying to imagine this in my head. Up. Behind the Aquarium of the Pacific, between the Queensway Bridge and the Pierpoint Landing. It's out of the way. Will not disrupt the skyline, but it's still downtown where there's a lot of foot traffic at the end of the bike paths if it's there. And it'd be a perfect location because we've actually looked around the skyline, we can be taken. It won't take away the limelight from the Queen Mary. It's out of the way. Yeah, it's still accessible to revitalize the pike. A lot of foot traffic. There'll be throngs of people down there around the aquarium. There's two big parking garages that will sustain the tourism. It's perfect. All we need to do is dredge it out, make it a little deeper. We need 31 feet of clearance. And then we got it. A spy. It'll fit. Perfect. Because I just. I just get concerned because there's so much development going on near the port. And as a council member, you know, there's a lot of question about. That tiny aquarium tucked away where you can still see it and still walk. To it. Okay. Thank you and look beautiful. Thank you, Councilman Richardson. So Mr. West, should this. So this would be a study just to see if this is feasible will be your approach and what would be the things that you would consider and how you would process this request tonight? I'm concerned. Mayor will just do exactly what you're asking us to do. We'll meet with the gentlemen. We'll meet with folks at the port. We'll meet with the folks at Kaplan Landing. To talk about dredging, things like that, the amount of money it takes to put this here. We'll also talk about San Pedro and their experience. With the USS Iowa. But more importantly, we'll. Talk to the Navy. This was brought to the city council. Before under Mayor O'Neill's term. And here it is again. And let's not forget the jurisdiction that actually has authority to to to actually place this anywhere along the coast, which would not be this body but the coast commission. Yes. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you very much. Any other questions from the council? Seeing none. There's a motion on the floor. All those in favor. Please raise your hand. Okay. Motion is unanimous. Thank you very much. Mr. Clarke, item 17. Item actually. Item 19.