The State from Columbia, South Carolina • 38

RESORTS Patriots Point makes history good business By CRYSTAL A. BAKER Stale Basiness Writer CHARLESTON Some people come to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant to learn history; others come to pay respects to fellow sailors or to the ships on which they were stationed; and others are just curious tourists. Regardless of the reason, people are coming to Patriots Point. Last year, more than 280,000 visitors traveled down the cemented bridge leading to the USS Yorktown, the 888-foot aircraft carrier that served in the Pacific from 1943 to 1945. Since its opening in 1976, Patriots Point has attracted 2,651,754 visitors.

Tourists are able to take self-guided tours through the five ships at Patriots Point and play golf at its harborside public course. Tours of the Charleston Harbor and area forts also are conducted from the museum. The museum has done well since its opening in 1976, raising $9.2 million in ticket sales in its 11-year history. Last year, when the museum grossed $1.55 million on 255,950 paid visitors, was its best. But ticket sales have increased every year.

Gift shop sales have also gone up, from $249,760 in fiscal year 1983-84 to $352,087 in 1986-87. From the outset, the goal of the Patriots Point Development Authority was to have the museum become self-sufficient. It has met that goal, returning to the state $129,500 left over from last year's state appropriation, said Charlie Hyatt, chairman of the authority. The museum no longer needs state funding to survive. "The museum is a catalyst for private enterprise," said Hyatt, who is involved in business development in his job with South Carolina National Bank in Columbia.

"The work, from golf course management to the painting and catering, is contracted out to private enterprise. They make their money. We get our cut. And the companies pay taxes. It's a classic example of the rollover of the dollar." The museum has become so profitable that the authority has been able to move on expanding it to include a hotel, restaurant, camping area and large dock to complement the golf course, Patriots Point Links.

Plans are still tentative for the expansion, but it is expected to include a 616-slip marina; a campground; a 200-unit, all-suite Quality Inn hotel; and an "on-the-harbor" restaurant extending from the tip of the nuclear ship Savannah into the harbor. Estimated cost of the project is $21 million. Plans call for the hotel to "spill over" into the Savannah, a nuclearpowered passenger ship, where some visitors could sleep in the ship's cabins. Entertainment also may be provided on the ship's deck or in the lounge area. Hyatt said the marina would allow people traveling along the inland waterway to dock and stay at the 6 THE STATE, Columbia, S.C., CHARLESTON Boy Scouts sleep on the USS Yorktown Ships anchored at Patriots Point (waterway) traffic because we haven't had the facilities available," Hyatt said.

The idea behind the 500-acre development is to make Patriots Point a "one-stop" vacation spot. The new development is scheduled to open next summer, said Henry Chandler, assistant director for public relations, marketing and at Patriots Point. With the hotel and restaurant in place, visitors would be able to stay at the development and attend veterans' reunions, tour the museum, harbor and forts, play golf and tennis, swim and dine. Sept. '21, 1987' on weekend trips to the museum Looking back on history Last year, more than 275,000 people turned out to visit the ships at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant.

Anchored there are the USS Yorktown, destroyer Laffey, the submarine Clamagore, the Coast Guard cutter Comanche, the Mariah and the -powered passenger ship Savannah. The museum also includes golf course and has expansion plans which would make the complex a "one-stop" vacation spot. Tourist dollars have been rolling in to the museum, which opened in 1976. become a resort devel- arrived at the site in June 1975. additions," Chandler museum opened on January 3, and about 2,600 people toured was created by the Yorktown that day.

in 1973 and was The authority has a nine-member bicentennial project. The board of directors that runs the Point Development ness. The members are appointed asked by Congress to the governor and the state's of education and re- sional delegation. emphasis on patriotism Hyatt said the business is said the most logiprofit and that all revenues Charleston. back into the facility's maintenance in April 1974 pur- and development.

of Hog Island for the Chandler said many visitors with additional museum are not aware of the purchased by private maintaining the museum and Yorktown, the larg- it run like a business. The at the museum, is run by 38 employees, dressed military attire, from offices barely noticeable to tourists. A system of walkie-talkies keeps the staff members in touch, whether they're on the smallest ship or tour boat or on the golf course. Some of the everyday business activities at Patriots Point include booking reunions and parties and cleaning, maintaining and marketing the museum. Another part of the business is its scouting program that was begun in 1980.

Last year, about 12,500 scouts visited the museum for weekend scouting camps, where they learned the history of the ships and were given tours of area forts and of Charleston, all for the cost of $38.50 per person. Patriots Point grossed $385,929 from the Boy Scout camp last year. "You can't beat that. We give them a place to sleep and feed them and entertain them for a full weekend for $38.50," said Chandler. "How many other chances would they get to spend a weekend sleeping on an 888- foot aircraft carrier?" Members of the Patriots Point staff spend time meeting with scouting groups and talking about the museum.

Groups from throughout the United States come to the museum each year. The scouting program has also become an indirect way of marketing Charleston, said Hyatt. When the youths from all over the country come to the Yorktown, they go back home and talk up Charleston, he said, prompting a later visit to the city by the whole family. Other than a tourist spot, Patriots the Point also is a gathering place for soldiers. Each year, many veterans' yacht reunions are held.

Some veterans who were stationed on one of the ships anchored in Charleston Harbor keep a a yearly vigil of cleaning, painting and repairing the vessel for the authority. There are also weddings and even funerals on the ships. Chandler said once someone asked that his ashes be scattered from the ship into the harbor. State regulations have since prohibited this practice. Patriots Point has a catering service to supply food for parties and to feed the scouts each weekend from the large kitchen aboard the Yorktown.

The The Yorktown is the largest part 1976, of the museum tour. It gives the histothe ry of the aircraft carrier as well as other aspects of maritime history. A movie can be viewed in the ship's busi- auditorium which gives the docuby mented history of the ship. congres- Other ships at the museum include the Savannah, the destroyer Laffey, the submarine Clamagore, the Coast nonGuard cutter Comanche and the yacht are put Mariah. Also planned for the next year at Patriots Point are the donation of a to the maritime library and the addition of a task of satellite office of the University of making South Carolina's archaeology ment, which will study historic sites in in the area.

"We've been missing a lot of that "We would opment with the said. The museum General Assembly planned as a resulting Patriots Authority was develop a place creation with in the state. Hyatt cal location was The authority chased 130 acres site of the museum, acreage being landowners. The est ship on display.