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San Diego pitches for a Disney ship
San Diego is pitching for Disney Cruise Line’s homeport business, Rita Vandergaw, director of marketing for the port, confirmed to Seatrade Insider.
She said Disney has not confirmed timing or whether they will be operating from the West Coast again.
San Diego is vying with the Port of Los Angeles for a DCL ship in February 2011, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The first of two DCL newbuilds is scheduled to enter service in early 2011. But asked if San Diego seeks a newbuild or one of the existing ships, Vandergaw told Seatrade Insider only that the port is aware of the newbuilds and is being ‘proactive to make sure that San Diego is at the top of potential homeports.’
The Broadway Street pier was finished last year and construction on a new terminal is expected to begin by this summer, for completion in late 2010. In reporting on the DCL bid, the Union-Tribune cited a proposal by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. that includes up to $5m in funding from the regional airport authority to go toward potential upgrades at the B Street pier, where cruise passengers are currently processed in a tent structure.
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