By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
CONNEAUT — The Port Authority is investigating a project that would construct a 50-dock marina in the southwest corner of Conneaut Harbor.
Authority member Tom Belnap, at Thursday night's regular meeting, said he has had preliminary contact with a Missouri company regarding a marina that could be erected in the middle of the harbor sandbar. The facility could be expanded to include another 50 docks, he said.
The sandbar marina, if built, would be the third such publicly managed facility in the harbor, joining Port Conneaut Marina and the lagoon marina opposite PCM.
A new marina would create extra dock leases and additional money for the authority, Belnap said. “It would create a new revenue stream,” he said.
To start, the firm in question — Tiger Boat Docks — would perform a site analysis and create a master plan that would recommend the best way to utilize the authority's harbor holdings, Belnap said.
Earlier this month, Belnap and port manager Bruce Chapman, along with city administrators, met with representatives of a bonding firm to discuss such a project, Belnap said. It was agreed a conventional loan would be “the quickest and easiest way to get the funds we're seeking,” he said.
There apparently would be no problem in securing the financing needed for such a project, Belnap said. “It appears money is available to do a new marina,” he said.
The project would include improvements to the lagoon, Belnap said.
City administrators are keen on joining forces with the port panel on the project, Belnap said. City Manager Robert Schaumleffel Jr. has spoken about developing city-owned land that overlooks the sandbar, including Lakeview Park and the adjoining trailer park.
The cost of constructing a marina was not mentioned at Thursday's meeting.
In related news, Port Authority chairman Denver Spieldenner said 97 docks at PCM and 182 at the lagoon were leased for the 2009 boating season. Members are now considering contracts for 2010.
The public boat launching ramps are doing a booming business this season, Spieldenner said. As of the end of August, 7,238 launches had been recorded, compared to 6,807 at the same point in 2008. Hundreds more launches could occur before the season ends, he said.
“We will have a lot more,” Spieldenner said. “We're doing well.”
