By Michelle R. Smith
The Associated Press
© September 8, 2013
PROVIDENCE, R.I.
The effort to bring the retired aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy to Rhode Island for use as a museum has passed another hurdle with the town council in Middletown voting to support the project in concept.
Frank Lennon, president of the nonprofit Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame, said the 6-1 vote Tuesday doesn't commit the town to anything. But he said it's an important show of local support to the Navy, which will ultimately decide whether the group can have the ship. The Hall of Fame has been working since 2010 to bring the aircraft carrier to the state.
He said the project would be good news for Rhode Island.
"This is the antidote to 38 Studios," he said, referring to the failed $75 million state loan guarantee to former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's video game company. "This is a potential major economic engine that's going to have positive economic impact. It's going to create jobs, and it's not going to cost the state any money."
He said they hope to use it not just as a museum but also as a family attraction, education resource and job training center.
The carrier, known as Big John, was the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier built by the Navy and once carried 4,600 crew members and 70 combat aircraft. It was built in Virginia and christened in 1967 by Kennedy's 9-year-old daughter, Caroline. It was active in both Iraq wars and the war in Afghanistan and decommissioned in 2007. The 1,050-foot ship is being kept in Philadelphia.
