Dec. 11, 2001 – One of the suggestions for a Port Authority economic development plan for St. Croix is a "cultural historical complex" visitor attraction.
Such a theme park is one of 80 projects proposed in a recently completed study of St. Croix's economic prospects by Triad Consulting. The mainland company began working on the research in May, according to Darlan Brin, Port Authority planner.
The theme park is one of three suggestions the Port Authority wants to study further. The other two are to obtain the dock area at the closed St. Croix Alumina facility and to design a marketing plan. To move ahead on the proposals, Brin said, the Port Authority has applied to the U.S. Economic Development Agency for a grant of about $300,000. The federal agency provided funding of $300,000 for the Triad study, and the Port Authority contributed $130,000 in cash and in-kind services.
"The historical cultural complex idea has to be looked at to see if it is practical," Brin said. "One of the things we've gotten back from the cruise lines is St. Croix needs some other attraction." But, he added, "we are not talking some kind of Disneyland."
A Caribbean cultural theme park, Carifest, has been in development on St. Thomas for more than a decade and is currently planned for land adjacent to the West Indian Co. dock.
Gordon Finch, Port Authority executive director, told a business group on St. Thomas recently that the St. Croix theme park, if built, would be located near Frederiksted. He also noted that the alumina plant docking facilities are just across the ship channel from the Port Authority's molasses pier. "We believe we ought to tender some offer," Finch said of acquiring the dock.
The St. Croix economic study was undertaken with the goals of identifying the island's assets, developing a marketing and promotional plan to attract high-tech industries, creating more jobs, diversifying the economy and developing 100 acres of land adjacent to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport into a business park, Brin said.
The Port Authority has hired the DeJongh Group, a St. Thomas-based architectural firm, to begin design and permitting work on the business park.
Brin noted that the University of the Virgin Islands is moving forward with plans to develop a technology park on St. Croix. "We're going to be working with them to make sure we don't overlap," he said. "We don't have the resources on the island to duplicate efforts."
Once a Port Authority plan is adopted, it probably will be turned over to the Economic Development Authority for implementation, Brin said. Frank Schulterbrandt, former legal counsel for the Port Authority, recently was named the first chief executive officer of the EDA.
"Someone has to coordinate so the ball doesn't drop," Brin said. "We are moving forward with the things we feel we can deal with." He said the study report is being distributed to government officials and private-sector groups involved in the research.
