Patriots Point audit makes several recommendations

MOUNT PLEASANT — An audit of the Patriot’s Point Development Authority released today makes several recommendations about how the state-owned attraction can raise more money.

It also restates what’s been obvious for years: Without major new financial help, Patriots Point can’t maintain the Yorktown and its other vessels over the long run.

Patriots Point Executive Director Mac Burdette said he was pleased with what the audit didn’t find, such as any evidence of theft, mismangement, leadership troubles or violation of state rules.

“We know the long-term stability of Patriots Point with regard to maintaining our ships is the big elephant sitting in the room,” he said. “Nobody can dodge that one.”

Burdette said he agrees with some of the audit’s advice, and other recommendations already are being put in place. But Burdette disagreed with its call for withdrawing incentives — namely, a no-cost lease for 3.5 acres — to those planning to build a stand-alone Medal of Honor museum there.

That project — and the new development it could spur — presents an important opportunity for new revenue that could be used to maintain the Yorktown aircraft carrier, the destroyer Laffey and the submarine Clamagore.

“With the Medal of Honor museum, you’re really trying to hit the thome run,” he said. “Sometimes you have to incentivize a project to make it work.”

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