Cruise ship study urges teamwork, fees, oversight

A study commissioned by one of Charleston's leading preservation voices warns the city could kill "the goose that lays the golden eggs" unless more is done to manage the cruise ship industry.

But the report, done for the Historic Charleston Foundation and released Wednesday, did not present any new or hard estimates about the economic impact of the ships, pro or con.

Instead, researcher Harry Miley recommended all the stakeholders in the cruise industry's future here -- including local government, longshoremen, port officials and environmentalists -- should band together for a real-time look at what the ships are doing.

"The perspective of the cruise industry in South Carolina really depends on who you are," Miley said during a press conference at the foundation's offices.

The study represents another entry in the continuing battle over the cruise ship industry in Charleston where supporters say the boats represent an economic and tourism boost, while detractors say they potentially threaten the city's charm and livability.

Miley, of Miley Associates in Columbia, said he thinks the current estimate used by cruise-line supporters of a $37 million impact in South Carolina is probably greater than the actual amount, though he did not present any alternative figures or supporting data. Instead, he said he based some of his research on what the ships have done in other cities, including Key West, Fla.

One Charleston City Council member who was at the foundation's press conference when the study was released said it added little in terms of guidance or insight.

"Frankly, I don't see anything new at all," said Councilman Dean C. Riegel, also the city's mayor pro tem.

Historic Charleston Foundation declined to disclose how much the group paid for the study, calling it proprietary information.

Among the recommendations:

Miley said there are various ways to look at the ship visits' impact, saying that if one visitor who plans to spend $700 during a Charleston stay is displaced by a ship visitor who spends only $60, "is that really a positive impact for the city?"

A lawsuit targeting Carnival Cruise Lines, which offers round-trip cruises from Charleston on the Fantasy, is in the state Supreme Court. The Coastal Conservation League, Charleston Preservation Society and the Charles Towne and Ansonborough neighborhood associations are seeking to prevent the use of Union Pier as a passenger terminal. The city and the SPA have intervened on Carnival's behalf.