ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager Requesting Approval to Offer a Five-Year CONTRACT, with a Five-Year Mutual Option, to the LST SHIP MEMORIAL FOUNDATION to Relocate the LST 325 to Peoria's RIVER FRONT.
Body
BACKGROUND: On December 10, 2013, the City Council authorized staff to more formally pursue the relocation of the LST 325, a World War II era naval ship, from its current home in Evansville to a space along the Illinois River in downtown Peoria. In 2004, the LST Ship Memorial Foundation ("LST Foundation," the nonprofit organization that manages the ship) signed a 10-year contract with the City of Evansville, making that city its home port. They are obligated to stay in Evansville through October 2015. However, that same contract mandates that they inform the City of Evansville of their intentions by October 1, 2014. The current Evansville location is less than ideal. It is fairly remote from Evansville's downtown and is not close to any other services or attractions. More information on the LST 325 can be found at www.lstmemorial.org.
The LST Foundation has stated that they need an offer from Peoria by this summer in order to properly weigh Peoria vs. Evansville. In late April, the City of Evansville made its pitch to the LST organization to stay, including a promise of better marketing; fixing the road that leads to the current dock; and a promise to relocate them closer to downtown should an existing casino boat ever leave.
In January, the LST Foundation held their winter board meeting in Peoria. During that meeting, the group expressed a strong interest in Peoria. They laid out their criteria for relocating from Evansville to Peoria:
1. Provision of a secure docking facility at no cost to the Foundation.
2. Provision of an office/museum/ticketing facility at no cost.
3. Provision of all utilities at no cost.
4. Permission to sail the ship to other ports for up to 8 weeks each year.
5. Participatio...
Click here for full text