Re: LST promotion/moving

As many of you may know, our contract with Evansville is due to expire in early 2015 and we have already begun discussions with the city to retain Evansville as our home port. We do know we have a good deal in Evansville with a 1st rate mooring place and other benefits. But, we need to get started now to iron out a future deal (and there is a new Mayor in town). We want pretty much the same deal we have now with the city, but are also looking to get some additional help with things like covered storage space (for our LCVP's, truck, spare parts), and for the possibility of getting a museum space.

In addition - the board has to perform due diligence by exploring other possibilities (especially if Evansville is unwilling to continue with certain key items in the current contract). During the years we have been cruising, several places have expressed an interest in hosting the Memorial as a home port - including Peoria, IL; Jeffersonville, IN; Newport, KY; & St. Louis, MO. Since it would take at least a one year lead time to come to an agreement to build a new facility in a new city (if negotiations with Evansville don't show promise) - the board needs to look at other options. The Board consensus is that we don't want to move, but there are a lot of variables to consider: Evansville continuing its lease with Marina Pointe so the ship can remain there (and prices tend to go up), utility costs, etc.