| The new Bremerton Marina is expected to be completed by the end of March, with work about 70 percent done by mid-January. The $30 million marina will have 235 permanent slips and 100 guest slips. The old marina, which was closed in June, only had 41 slips for visitors and no permanent space.
According to Steve Slaton, director for Port of Bremerton’s marine facilities, 30 slips have already been pre-leased, meeting the port’s original goal. “The business plan for the marina included being 20 percent full by the end of the first year, and we’re already there,” he says. The plan anticipates half of the permanent spots to be filled by the end of second year. The slips are leased at rates between $8 and $10 per foot per month, depending on their size.
Local officials anticipate the total impact of the marina to be $10 million on the local economy, including use fees, money spent by boats, and other spending generated as a result. Many taxpayers have been extremely vocal about the project, which has generated controversy due to the marina design (lack of covered slips) and a recent property tax levy imposed by the port commissioners to help pay for the marina. The 45-cent per $1,000 of assessed property value, imposed after the creation of an industrial development district, can be collected for up to six years. In addition to the IDD levy, the construction was funded through grants and bond financing. Implementation of the funding scheme wasn’t well-publicized, and is cited in part as contributing to the 2007 election defeat of longtime Port of Bremerton Commissioner Mary Ann Huntington.
The project has been hailed as a big step in the revitalization of Bremerton, which will work hand in hand with downtown improvements, the construction of the tNew unnel, and more developments in the work. “It’s important for people to understand the marina is a partnership of the port, the city and private sector, as a way to regenerate downtown,” Slaton said.
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