The Nation : 2 Ports Fall Short in Bids

At least two of the nine Gulf cities that will become hosts for a fleet of Navy ships are having trouble coming up with the money they pledged in a bidding war to win the job-producing “home port” status. The two ports are Galveston, Tex., which has sent an urgent plea to the state for help in coming up with the $8 million the Navy wants spent, and Pascagoula, Miss., where officials say they don’t yet know if they will have the $25 million they pledged. Over the last week, a Navy team has visited six of the nine cities that won in the 19-city competition to host the reactivated battleship Wisconsin and its companion ships, reminding them that commitments on the millions of dollars they pledged to spend are due Thursday. The money will go for construction of such public facilities as roads and docks, sewers and utility connections. In return, the 29 ships mean millions of dollars in jobs and economic development for the host cities.