ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Charlotte businesses are weighing in on whether or not the Port of Rochester would be a viable destination for a cruise ship. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren recently proposed legislation that would study the possibility of one in the harbor.
Under the legislation, the city would form an agreement with the United States Army Corps of Engineers for an $118,000 study. The cost would be split between the two. The study would determine the requirements for physical infrastructure at the Port, federal regulations and dredging requirements. It would also analyze sedimentation and wave surge patterns that are happening in the Port.
For more than six years, Hose 22 owner Craig Ristucci has seen countless customers come through his doors and believes he would see even more business if Rochester was a stop on the map.
“It’s not just beneficial for my business, but for all the businesses and just for the community as a whole,” Ristucci said. “With the new marina, it’s beautiful, and it just makes it more of a destination.”
Ristucci pointed out however, there have been large ships in the harbor before and a similar study was done years ago when the Fast Ferry came through.
“The study [is] great, but I don’t know if it’s really necessary because we have the ferrocement boat that comes in and out of here,” Ristucci said. “We had the Fast Ferry. That was a large boat that could get in and out of here. We’ve had the Great Lakes cruise ships in here. We’ve had the centennial with the tall ships down here. The river was dredged recently this year and with the marina, I think it’s ready to go.”
Warren said she sees this as an opportunity for job growth and development. In a statement, she wrote in part:
“Tourism dollars are particularly important to any economy because they bring new resources into our city helping us in turn bring more jobs, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities to all residents."
Port of Charlotte Merchants Association President Marianne Warfle said she believes this would be an opportunity for the city to be a part of a something really big going on in all the great lakes.
“I think what a lot of people don’t realize is that there’s cruise ships that pass us by out in the middle of this lake all the time,” Warfle said. “I’m excited that our administration is looking into ways that we can take advantage of that.”
While Windjammers Bar and Grill owner Lee Selover said he doesn’t oppose having a cruise ship stop at the Port, he said when he was the Port of Charlotte Merchants Association President, he spoke with Great Lakes cruise liners. He said the response was there wasn’t much at the Port and transportation to downtown Rochester wasn’t supplied.
“I think this study is five years too early because if this high rise is built, if we had more businesses down here, we have to watch and listen, but just to throw money for a study, I’m sick of government wasting money,” Selover said.
City council is expected to vote on the legislation Dec. 15.