SCR131

WHEREAS, for more that thirty years, over 1.6 million visitors annually come to one of Oahu's historic memorials, the USS ARIZONA, only to be subjected to excessively long lines for entry, lack of shelter from the sum and rain, and insufficient amenities, such as; refreshments, restroom facilities and comfortable seating; and

WHEREAS, to rectify this blight that has for so many years reflected negatively on our great State, in December 2004, the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, as a public service, was opened to provide those comforts needed and desired by our visitors; and

WHEREAS, the livelihood of our local vendors and their trained staff is now at risk if these services are to be discontinued as is now being planned; and

WHEREAS, these hard working people have served over 900,000 hot meals, provided low cost visitor transportation to Pearl Harbor, and created a first ever marketing program for all five attractions, resulting in vastly improved visitor counts and revenues, while offering their services at fair prices; and

WHEREAS, all of the neighboring memorials were engaged and challenged by the U.S. Navy to correct this disservice and to provide these amenities identified in a study conducted and published in 1999, for reasons either of discontent, lack of funding or minimal desire to cooperate with each other, out of visitor necessity the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center was conceived and dutifully assumed responsibility to service our local, regional and foreign guests; and

WHEREAS, none of the non-profit neighboring memorials (USS ARIZONA MARINE REMEMBRANCE, USS BOWFIN, USS MISSOURI and the Pacific Aviation Museum) could find common ground to cooperate with each other to provide a comprehensive "Pearl Harbor Day" experience for visitors during which all of the memorials could be visited; the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center led the drive for consolidated ticketing to enhance the attendance of the entire area; and

WHEREAS, in the spring of 2007, the National Park Service is scheduled to be in receivership of the entire Pearl Harbor Visitor Center at the Halawa Landing area; and

WHEREAS, it is a moral imperative that the National Park Service make accommodating visitors their top priority in all decisions; and

WHEREAS, the services now provided by the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center will no longer exist for over a year, should the current plan be executed; a new comprehensive plan, which will enhance visitors' experience, rather than inconveniencing them, must be drafted, accepted and executed; and

WHEREAS, the local Pearl Harbor Visitor Center concessionaires, who have mortgaged their homes and taken large loans to open their own businesses, be grandfathered into the future plan; and

WHEREAS, any commercial service plan be reviewed, validated and accepted by the U.S. Navy, the common landlord, prior to execution; and

WHEREAS, the comprehensive concession plan take into account the importance of shared revenues received with all other memorials of Pearl Harbor; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the House of Representatives concurring, that all decisions made by the National Park Service regarding the future of Pearl Harbor be reviewed and accepted by a common broker, the U.S. Navy; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the local businesses and employees of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center should remain open as a service to the public until the National Park Service plan can provide comparable services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that when drafted and executed, the National Park Service plan give first right of refusal to the current local vendors to be a part of the concessionaire plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the National Park Service, the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Pearl Harbor Visitor Center

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	131
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII