BILL ANALYSIS �
AJR 8
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, TOURISM, AND
INTERNET MEDIA
Nora Campos, Chair
AJR 8 (Furutani & B. Lowenthal) - As Introduced: March 9, 2011
SUBJECT : USS Iowa
SUMMARY : Memorializes the United States Navy to approve the
application submitted by the Pacific Battleship Center to house
the USS Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles. Specifically, this
resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1)The USS Iowa served in a number of significant battles during
World War II, but is most popularly known as the ship that
carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic
for meetings with Winston Churchill.
2)The Pacific Battleship Center, a nonprofit organization, has
proposed using the battleship as a waterfront floating museum,
that, if approved, would make the USS Iowa the west coast's
only major World War II battleship.
3)This proposal has significant support from the San Pedro area
neighborhood councils and businesses, as this historic
battleship could significantly increase tourism, and would
subsequently have a much needed positive economic impact on
the City of Los Angeles, which is critical during these
economic times.
4)The Pacific Battleship Center has pledged to fund the costs
associated with housing the USS Iowa.
5)The proposal will ensure all efforts and actions are taken to
avoid any costs or burdens to the Port of Los Angeles, the
surrounding communities, or local government entities to bring
the USS Iowa to Los Angeles, maintain it, or return it to the
United States Navy in case it is not successful.
6)The berthing of the USS Iowa Battleship in the Port of Los
Angeles will serve as a community asset creating cultural,
educational, and historical benefits to San Pedro and the
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surrounding communities.
7)The proposal will provide the anchor for the Fire Boat
Display, Maritime Museum, and Lane Victory, and create a
"Historical Core" for visitor draw.
8)The Port of Los Angeles, as well as the surrounding
communities, draws over 500,000 tourists per year, making it
an ideal home that will ensure several hundred thousand
visitors annually to the USS Iowa.
9)The proposed location in the Port of Los Angeles is ideally
situated for easy freeway and traffic access.
10)The proposal has support from the surrounding community,
including the San Pedro area neighborhood councils, San Pedro
businesses, the City of Los Angeles, and the Port of Los
Angeles.
11)The application submitted by the Pacific Battleship Center to
bring the USS Iowa to the Port of Los Angeles has received the
support of the past four governors of the State of Iowa.
FISCAL EFFECT : None known
COMMENTS : The author states in support of this
resolution, "The Port of Los Angeles is an ideal home for
the USS Iowa. The surrounding community has been
instrumental in the effort to establish the USS Iowa as a
waterfront floating museum housed at the Port of Los
Angeles. A non-profit organization-the Pacific Battleship
Center-has been formed with the exclusive task of applying
to the US Navy to request that the USS Iowa be housed at
the Port of Los Angeles, and the organization has pledged
to fund the costs associated with housing the USS Iowa.
"The Port of Los Angeles is North America's busiest seaport
and is located adjacent to the World Cruise Center which is
home to various cruise lines. The Port and its
surrounding communities currently draw over several hundred
thousand visitors per year, not to mention the volume of
visitors that come through the greater Los Angeles area.
This is a phenomenal opportunity to give Californians and
other visitors to the Port of Los Angeles area access to a
tangible link to modern United States history. "
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None Known
Opposition
None Known
Analysis Prepared by : Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T. & I.M. /
(916) 319-3450