Article Courtesy: Panama City News Herald newshearald.com | Originally Published 3/14/25 | Please click here for original article.
The Bay County Tourist Development Council has come to the bargaining table on the fate of a historic cruise liner.
The council unanimously agreed to offer $3 million to Okaloosa County to sink the SS United States closer to Panama City. Sinking the ship will create the world’s largest artificial reef, and the TDC wants a slice of the visitors that will come to see it.
At Tuesday’s meeting, representatives of local diving companies urged the council to make the move in a bid to keep the county’s dive scene competitive.
“Panama City Dive Center was thrilled to witness history being made by the Bay County TDC in their vote to bring the World’s Largest Artificial Reef within reach for Bay County diving and fishing operations,” said Ashley Barrow from the Panama City Dive Center. “Access to this wreck will help PCB regain its status as a premier dive location while bringing in a demographic of tourists who respect the natural environment, which helps to maintain the beauty of our area.”
While too soon to tell, it appears Okaloosa County is entertaining the idea.
Okaloosa County Public Information Officer Nick Tomecek chimed in on the matter while talking to a reporter from Northwest Florida Daily News (which is, like the News Herald, a part of the USA TODAY Network-Florida). He acknowledged the excitement and offers from surrounding counties.
“It’s exciting and is evidence that Northwest Florida tourism, businesses, dive shops and fishing industry are all supportive of this remarkable effort from our tourism department,” Tomecek said. “And it’s something that’s going to benefit, not just Destin-Fort Walton Beach, it’s going to benefit the entire Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida and the tourism community worldwide.”
If Okaloosa County agrees to the deal, the ship will be 20 miles closer to the St Andrews pass. Currently, the furthest proposed site is 55 nautical miles from Panama City, and the closest is 35. The $3 million would be earmarked to help with marketing and sinking the vessel.
The ship is slated to sit 180 feet underwater, however, other outlets reported that it’s so large that people who can only dive to less than half that height will still be able to access it. It’s more than 100 feet longer than the Titanic and has five more decks.
“Since the vessel’s launch over 70 years ago, she has served as an enduring, iconic symbol of American innovation and engineering might,” the SS United States Conservancy says on its website. “She is the only ship to bear the name of her namesake nation.”
The Conservancy’s website says the vessel is nearly as long as the Chrysler Building in New York City is tall.
Currently, the SS United States is sitting in Mobile, Alabama, awaiting its final voyage to its new home.
