Midway prepares for invasion of tourists : Federal officials, private company join forces to entice travelers with natural wonders and historical mystique.

Isolated Midway Atoll, site of a key World War II battle and now a nursery for monk seals and countless seabirds, will open to tourism next month for the first time in 50 years.

The move is the boldest public-private partnership ever undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the national refuge 1,250 miles northwest of Honolulu.

Rather than abandon Midway when the Navy pulls out next June, the cash-strapped wildlife service hooked up with a private company. The lure for Midway Phoenix Corp. of Cartersville, Ga., is the opportunity to bring tourists to the atoll, the remains of an ancient volcano midway between Japan and California.

Along with its military mystique--the Battle of Midway turned the tide of the war in the Pacific--the atoll offers people a chance to escape from civilization. Two million seabirds spend time on its three islets, endangered Hawaiian monk seals pull up on its powdery white beaches and colorful fish ply its protected waters.

In return for the privilege of bringing in tourists and sport fishermen, Midway Phoenix is taking responsibility for all of the atoll’s infrastructure, from its valuable airport to its harbor, roads, sewers, telephones and electricity. The annual bill for running Midway, footed by the Navy until now, runs close to $5 million.

“We could not do it on our own in these lean budget times,” said Ken McDermond, who manages the Pacific/Remote Islands National Wildife Refuge Complex for the wildlife service. “We feel the trade-off of letting people be there is well worth the benefits in terms of wildlife management and public education.”

Midway’s population will actually be reduced once the public starts to visit. No more than 250 people, including support staff, will be allowed on the atoll at one time. Currently 400 people, mostly Navy contractors, live there--down from a peak of 3,000 during the Cold War. Most beaches, now open, will be closed in deference to the seals. Visitors’ movements will be restricted and divers must be accompanied by guides. Sport fishermen will tag and release their catch.

“We’re all taking a little bit of risk--not knowing if this is going to work,” McDermond acknowledged.

For Midway Phoenix Corp., the stakes are high. Along with Midway’s overhead, there are the hefty costs of bringing it up to snuff for the traveling public. For starters, the company has spent $380,000 installing a cellular/satellite phone system. It is converting officers’ quarters to hotel rooms, and will build a septic facility.

“This will lose money like a sieve for the near term, but you have to look at the long term,” said Dent Thompson, vice president of the company. “For Midway Phoenix Corp., it’s a great business opportunity.”

He and his brother Mark, the company’s president, got interested in the project because their other company, Phoenix Air Group Inc.--a major defense aviation contractor--uses the airport and wants to keep it open after the Midway Naval Air Facility closes.

“We see it as a win-win situation for everybody,” Dent Thompson said. “The airport will be there should there be a military need for it. The Fish and Wildlife Service gets to operate the refuge with full support services. It will be open for public visitation for the first time and not require one U.S. tax dollar.”

There is no denying Midway’s allure for the ecologically inclined. A pod of spinner dolphins plays in Midway’s lagoon, and green sea turtles frequent the area.

At times, albatross nests are so ubiquitous that visitors must wend their way among them. The birds have no fear of humans, offering a rare chance to witness their natural behavior. Dubbed the “gooney bird” for its comical antics, the Laysan albatross practices a complex and fascinating mating dance before choosing a life partner.

“This is an amazing opportunity to visit a unique wildlife habitat for a number of endangered species,” said Birgit Winning, executive director of Oceanic Society Expeditions. “In many ways it is like the Galapagos Islands.”

The San Francisco-based nonprofit organization will be handling ecotourism operations for Midway Phoenix, offering guided natural and military history tours, as well as volunteer research expeditions. Visitors may work alongside biologists, planting native vegetation, counting and banding seabirds or listening to the dolphins.

The Fish and Wildlife Service was reluctant to abandon Midway and let nature take its course because the atoll’s ecology has been disturbed by humans and is very vulnerable. Introduced rats prey on seabird eggs and young chicks, and non-native vegetation threatens nesting grounds. With revenues from public visits and volunteer labor, the hope is that federal workers can eradicate such pests and expand their “Head Start” program for seal pups.