Cruise ships and the Sunshine Skyway debate (Miami, Tampa: insurance, lawyer)

[SeaSpur]

Isn't the cruise business getting a little too much attention in this equation (and discussion) here?

Of the jobs and money the ports bring in, the cruise portion has to be the smallest by a large margin. The real money being made (and especially jobs) has to be for the cargo and businesses that reside within the ports. Only 1 of the 3 ports handle cruises...the rest is cargo and big business inside.

In addition, Tampa isn't a cruise destination- it's a start and stopping point. I don't think people are really spending tons of money here in comparison to the destinations they go. The most I have spent at a cruise port is lunch and a parking spot while I'm gone. With that said, I think there is a little too much focus on that sector of the port's business.

Now, if the cargo ships are really getting that much larger and we need to handle it- by all means, handle it. With the dredging of the Panama Canal to allow bigger ships and also the construction starting soon on the Nicaragua Canal, that is our best best of growing in terms of jobs and $$$ to this area.

If it is just to accommodate the cruise crowd, then I pass on that. Plenty of ships will remain to serve the area. It's not like they buy new ones every year. I'm not in the cruise demographic though, I hated the idea of it and went on one cruise to confirm my feelings.

[The b8nk]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

Of the jobs and money the ports bring in, the cruise portion has to be the smallest by a large margin. The real money being made (and especially jobs) has to be for the cargo and businesses that reside within the ports. Only 1 of the 3 ports handle cruises...the rest is cargo and big business inside.

Havent seen any numbers on this and the article in the OP doesnt have it but would be interesting to see if anyone can find it.

[kmarc]

If taxpayers are being asked to fund it, it's a loser.

If it was a winner, private companies would be lining up, although they would be requesting tax breaks from the state, as Amazon did.

You can take that to the bank.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

Isn't the cruise business getting a little too much attention in this equation (and discussion) here?

Of the jobs and money the ports bring in, the cruise portion has to be the smallest by a large margin. The real money being made (and especially jobs) has to be for the cargo and businesses that reside within the ports. Only 1 of the 3 ports handle cruises...the rest is cargo and big business inside.

In addition, Tampa isn't a cruise destination- it's a start and stopping point. I don't think people are really spending tons of money here in comparison to the destinations they go. The most I have spent at a cruise port is lunch and a parking spot while I'm gone. With that said, I think there is a little too much focus on that sector of the port's business.

Now, if the cargo ships are really getting that much larger and we need to handle it- by all means, handle it. With the dredging of the Panama Canal to allow bigger ships and also the construction starting soon on the Nicaragua Canal, that is our best best of growing in terms of jobs and $$$ to this area.

If it is just to accommodate the cruise crowd, then I pass on that. Plenty of ships will remain to serve the area. It's not like they buy new ones every year. I'm not in the cruise demographic though, I hated the idea of it and went on one cruise to confirm my feelings.

Reps to you, couldn't agree more. Travel & Leisure is the first to take a hit in an economic downturn and we've got one coming that'll make 2007 look like the Roaring 20s. The middle class is being shredded. And if the dollar loses its reserve status, which is very real possibility, it'll be more than travel and leisure down the toilet. People look for cheap escapism like movies, entertainment, liquor, etc. This "cruise" thing is a joke, there's some agenda here we're not being told about.

Now, the cargo thing is a whole different matter, I sure agree with you there.

Interestingly, I got a phone survey from News Channel 8 about this cruise thing yesterday evening. Someone's really hot to trot on this and the warning lights should be blinking red.

I called my state senator's office about the issue today. This is in the "pre-feasibility" study stages. They were genuinely interested in getting input. I told them they should be listening to an economist who will be realistic and level with them, not tell them what they want to hear. For cryin' out loud, the CEO of Walmart is complaining about business being down, that's how you know all is not well.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Reps to you, couldn't agree more. Travel & Leisure is the first to take a hit in an economic downturn and we've got one coming that'll make 2007 look like the Roaring 20s. The middle class is being shredded. And if the dollar loses its reserve status, which is very real possibility, it'll be more than travel and leisure down the toilet. People look for cheap escapism like movies, entertainment, liquor, etc. This "cruise" thing is a joke, there's some agenda here we're not being told about.

Sounds like a Glenn Beck follower.......LOL!

[kmarc]

BTW, state senator's office was interested if I would find it more acceptable for cargo commerce, like Seaspur mentioned. My answer was a cautious yes, provided the facilities were at the mouth of the bay. No way those Maersk ships could even get in and out of the Bay, Skyway or no Skyway. Too shallow, you'd have to dredge the Bay to kingdom come. Every month. And even then, one Maersk would take up the entire bay.

[housingcrashsurvivor]

Tampa Has a Cruise Ship Problem

• Cruise ships sailing in and out of Tampa Bay generate more than $380 million in annual economic activity for the area and help support up to 2,000 jobs. But saving that local industry could cost hundreds of millions — and maybe even a billion or two — in local, state and federal tax dollars, according to a $150,000 state study.
• the ships that the industry is rapidly adopting. There may not be enough of the smaller, older ships in the future to dock in Tampa.
• Over 90 percent of the future cruise ship fleet will not be able to come under the Skyway bridge," it is estimated
• the local cruise industry is poised to enjoy a record year: 1.1 million passengers are expected to pass through Tampa on 239 cruises in 2014. The Tampa Port Authority got 22 percent of its revenue from cruise ships in the last fiscal year: $9.5 million out of total revenue of $44.1 million

Here's the study in full...

http://www.skywaybridge.com/pdf/140708portstudy.pdf

[chi_tino]

I would rather St Pete and Pinellas spend their money on a new cruise terminal and stealing the billion-dollar business from Tampa/Hillsborough than waste their time and effort on rebuilding a broken-down pier focused on selling $5 trinkets to tourists.

Which of the two would be better for long-term economic growth? I'll let you mull that over and get back to us.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by chi_tino

I would rather St Pete and Pinellas spend their money on a new cruise terminal and stealing the billion-dollar business from Tampa/Hillsborough than waste their time and effort on rebuilding a broken-down pier focused on selling $5 trinkets to tourists.

Which of the two would be better for long-term economic growth? I'll let you mull that over and get back to us.

Now, see, that would make too much sense. Crikey, the money and energy that's gone into squabbling about that danged pier.

[engineman]

Originally Posted by chi_tino

I would rather St Pete and Pinellas spend their money on a new cruise terminal and stealing the billion-dollar business from Tampa/Hillsborough than waste their time and effort on rebuilding a broken-down pier focused on selling $5 trinkets to tourists.

Which of the two would be better for long-term economic growth? I'll let you mull that over and get back to us.

St Pete is on the same side of the bridge as Tampa and its port is no way big enough. The only way you could get any cruise ship into John's Pass would be to cut it up and barge the pieces in. Some ships are built with masts and superstructure that fold/retract/telescope to clear bridges. That is not new technology.

The only common sense way to build a new bridge is to start fresh next to the existing one, like they did before.