Portland in the finals for attracting JFK carrier

Due to the efforts of some locals, Portland might just have gotten exceptionally lucky.
A few months back, the local group JFKforME announced that the Navy was looking to find a good parking spot for the aircraft carrier John F Kennedy. Such ships are donated to states and municipalities all the time by the navy, but rarely aircraft carriers, there being so few of them to spare. The host group of potential home cities are required to provide plans for turning the ship into a floating museum. JFKforME sought approval from the city to start down the road of the long process.
As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The local group asked the city council to send off a letter of support for the project, so in a unanimous vote last month, the council sent off the letter. I kind of scoffed at the time, thinking that since we were potentially up against Boston for the big boat, Satan would be skating to work before we got the nod. In case nobody noticed, it's been really cold around here lately.
JFKforME got the initial nod of approval from the Navy this week. They have, along with one other "unnamed city," been given preliminary approval for the plan, and asked to move on to phase two of the planning process. That part is the nitty gritty of the plan, where each and every aspect must meet the approval of the Navy before the ship is turned over.
In a phone interview with Dana Slipp, president of the JFKforME committee on Tuesday, he provided a lot of information on the overall plan. At this point, there is no decision yet as to if the big boat would be berthed at the Maine State Pier, or the newly completed and recently made useless Oceangate Terminal. He stated, "We are still working with the city on that."
Support for the plan seems to be busting out all over. The USS JFK Association, a group of former crew members, has thrown its support behind Portland's effort. Another group, the Sunset Pilots Air Wing, a group of former pilots who flew F-14 Tomcats off the ship in the early 1980s has also thrown its support behind the Portland groups proposal.
In addition to the basic museum function, there are other potential plans for space on the huge ship.
There is possible room for an on-board convention center, restaurant, gift shop, and there was even mention of a potential work/study program connected with a local college for culinary trades.
Though still early in the game, the group does have a full year to contend with the issues of fund-raising, museum plans, and various environmental concerns connected with such a large project, as well as other potential barriers such as harbor dredging.
The secondary group, the Sunset Tomcats, has secured a plane once housed on the ship that has history of its own. In 1989, two F-14 Tomcats were dispatched from the ship, and eventually ended up shooting down two MiG-23's. One of the planes is at the National Air And Space Museum, and the other is being held in reserve for museum donation.
Dana Slipp commented that not only do the Sunset Tomcats Support Portland's bid, they are asking if the second plane could be made part of a permanent exhibit on the deck of the carrier.
The group will continue its efforts with the city, as well as seeking the input and support of Maine's congressional delegation with further assistance in support for the project.
Here's hoping Old Scratch will soon be practicing those figure 8's.

(Bob Higgins is a regular contributor to The Portland Daily Sun.)