Senator Duane Spearheads Passage of Resolution to Bring a Space Shuttle to New York City

Senator Duane Enlists Colleagues to Call on NASA to Permanently Display A Space Shuttle at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum

(Albany, New York)-On Thursday, by a unanimous vote, the State Senate approved a legislative resolution spearheaded by State Senator Thomas K. Duane that enthusiastically endorses the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum’s application to permanently display one of NASA’s three retiring Space Shuttles on Manhattan’s West Side.  The Intrepid Museum is competing for the privilege with more than twenty other institutions across the United States.

 “I could not be more pleased that the Senate has shown its commitment to bringing a Space Shuttle to New York,” said State Senator Duane, in whose district the Intrepid Museum is located.  “I have been amazed at the outpouring of public support for the Intrepid Museum’s bid and I have expressed to my colleagues in the Senate how important winning this competition would be for New York City and New York State.  The Intrepid Museum is the ideal location for one of these Shuttles—nearly one million people visit each year and we can expect thousands more to be drawn there if it wins this contest.  With the State Senate now officially behind this bid as well, I hope that NASA is getting the message-New York is ready, willing and best able to host a Space Shuttle.”

The three ships that constitute the Space Shuttle program, Discovery, Endeavor and Atlantis, are scheduled to be retired in early 2011.  In July, NASA is expected to announce the results of a nationwide competition to find a permanent home for each of the three shuttles.  The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, one of America’s leading historic, cultural and educational institutions, located on an aircraft carrier docked at Pier 86 on Manhattan’s West Side, is campaigning to bring one of the Space Shuttles to New York City.

Intrepid Museum officials are confident that they can raise the approximately $40 million to house the Space Shuttle in a new on-site glass enclosure.  The Space Shuttle would attract an estimated 366,000 additional visitors to the West Side of Manhattan in its first year on display.  These new tourists are expected to add $71 million in direct economic spending and net approximately $7.5 million in tax revenue to New York City, according to the Intrepid Museum.  In addition, revenue generated by hotel stays, restaurants, transportation and other tourism-related activities would give a boost to the City's, and the State’s, bottom line.

“Hosting a Space Shuttle represents a fantastic educational and economic opportunity for New York City and the Empire State,” said State Senator Duane.  “The spacecrafts are national treasures and with more than 8 million residents and 46 million visitors each year, New York City would be without question the most high-profile and exciting  place for the shuttle to land.  I encourage all New Yorkers to join in the campaign (www.shuttle2nyc.com) to bring a Space Shuttle to the Intrepid Museum. ”

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