Surprising Moves in Alabama
May 7th, 2004
The Alabama State Port Authority and the City of Mobile are making major moves for Alabama's and Mobile's economic future. A world class container/multi-user intermodal facility, a blossoming cruise industry and a planned interactive maritime center celebrating our region's maritime heritage will forever change Mobile's downtown waterfront. This change culminates nearly a decade of strategic planning and capital improvement to raise the area's business and recreational attraction globally.Choctaw Point Terminal
Director and CEO, James K. Lyons leads the Alabama State Port Authority's expansions in cargoes and capital infrastructure projects that appear to be on track to turn out the best financial year since the Port's inception in 1928. Alabama's statewide referendum to fund a comprehensive container handling and multi-user intermodal terminal with value added manufacturing and distribution centers at Choctaw Point will firmly establish the Port of Mobile and the State's deepwater seaport as the premier Gulf of Mexico intermodal transportation hub for years to come. Augmenting a first-class transportation network, consisting of five Class I railroads, two interstate networks servicing the Mid-West and Atlantic coast states, and the nation's second largest inland waterway system, the Port Authority's Choctaw Point will provide manufacturers and shippers cost effective and efficient service.
Choctaw Point's 400-acre site and $238 million plus project continue on the development path with environmental permits expected in late summer 2004. The proposed project will have a 2,000 foot, two-berth, deepwater (45ft. draft) container terminal served by four gantry cranes just three hours from the open water of the Gulf of Mexico. The container yard will connect via dedicated access to a multi-user intermodal yard with access to five Class I and two Class 3 rail carriers adjacent to Interstates 10 and 65. The Choctaw Point Terminal is located next to the region's growing air cargo center at Brookley. Choctaw Point site work began January 2004 with the Authority anticipating start-up by January 2007.
The Port Authority's expansion and modernization program for breakbulk and containerized cargoes in 2003-2004 with $44 million of public and private investment expended on warehouse and terminal renovations. The Authority in 2004-2005 plans an additional $85 million to improve capacity and efficiencies in bulk, security and Choctaw Point. These efforts to date demonstrate the Authority's commitment to the State's manufacturer and production base transportation needs and to secure the future for additional economic development.
The City of Mobile has much to celebrate with the successful renovation of a Mobile architectural treasure, the announced construction of the tallest building in Alabama and the secured cruise line slated to put Mobile on the tourism map. Mobile has seen its “string of pearls” slowly threaded and each not secured to capitalize on Mobile's working waterfront.
To compliment past projects such as the Authur Outlaw Convention Center, the Exploreum, Cooper Riverside Park and the City of Mobile Museum, Mobile's Mayor Michael C. Dow, the Mobile City Council and their economic development partners completed renovations to the GM&O Building to serve as an intermodal passenger transportation hub for downtown Mobile's rapidly evolving convention, commuter and tourism complexes. The City has also secured Retirement Systems of Alabama's (RSA) commitment to construct the new RSA Battle House office tower and hotel. This downtown tower will feature restoring the City's oldest hotel (The Battle House) to the five-star grandeur she once possessed.
In 2003, the City along with Carnival Cruise Lines announced Mobile as a Homeport for the cruise ship HOLIDAY, with an anticipated second ship, to berth at the City's expanded waterfront development, Mobile Landing. To serve maritime industry needs, the Mayor the City Council approved the construction of an $18 million cruise terminal featuring space for retail shops, restaurants, parking and entertainment. The terminal is expected to receive its first cruise vessel on October 16, 2004.
The City's waterfront initiative to “bring people back to the water” features the Convention Center, Cooper Riverside Park and the newly constructed Mobile Landing. The Mobile waterfront promenade provides green space, entertainment, shopping, convention facilities and will soon feature the $30 million Maritime Center of the Gulf of Mexico.
Celebrating Mobile's rich maritime heritage, the Maritime Center will feature interactive displays of working waterfront activities ranging from stevedoring to vessel navigation to ship building. The Maritime Center will also serve as an instructional center to educate the public on our region's historical maritime legacy, its marine archeology and ecology, and the many local, state and federal agencies necessary to the maritime industry. The Center will even treat visitors to a full scale model of a container vessel sporting a fully interactive bridge to give visitors a sense of life aboard a modern ocean going, cargo ship. Construction of the Maritime Center is slated for November 2004.
The Propeller Club of Mobile members played vital roles in the development of the Maritime Center through research and committee efforts supporting the Center's exhibit and design consultants along with E. B. Peebles, Chair of the Waterfront Development Committee, Mike Lee, President of the Alabama World Trade Association, Winn Hallett, President of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to James K. Lyons, Director/CEO of the Alabama State Port Authority.
Make plans to attend the 2004 International Propeller Club Convention October 5-8, 2004 hosted by the Ports of Gulfport, Mobile and Pascagoula. You'll feel the celebration and see the vision at the “Mobile Night” October 7.