Fate of SS United States in limbo after county board in Florida postpones vote

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The fate of the SS United States remains up in the air after the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners in Florida postponed a vote on whether the ship will be taken there and sunk off the coast as an artificial reef.
Potentially acquiring the historic ocean liner was on the agenda for Tuesday night’s regular meeting and public budget hearing, though when asked for an update, County Administrator John Hofstad said the county “hit a wrinkle” with their pier operators.
“We would ask that that item be pushed two weeks until the next meeting to allow us time to work out the issues,” Hofstad said.
Okaloosa County’s next budget hearing meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
The clock is ticking for the ship to vacate its current home at Pier 82 in South Philadelphia. In August, a federal judge sided with Penn Warehousing and ruled the SS United States can’t stay at the pier past Sept. 12.
Last week, sources told CBS News Philadelphia that the ship could be sunk off of Florida’s northwestern coast as part of an artificial reef.
A spokesperson for the SS United States Conservancy said the organization had conversations with a handful of Florida counties because of the court’s deadline for the ship to leave Philadelphia.
Sources said sinking the ship, once it’s properly converted to meet stringent environmental regulations, is an alternative to outright scrapping the vessel.
When the SS United States hit the high seas in 1952, it was “the most powerful, modern, and advanced passenger liner ever built,” according to the SS United States Conservancy. It crisscrossed the Atlantic for 17 years, carrying presidents, dignitaries and entertainers.
The group has been working to save the SS United States and raise more than $500,000 to help with relocation and other costs.