Politics · SS United StatesSS United States sinking: County's $11.42 million contract plan, explainedWritten November 11, 2026 at 3:15 AM UTCWatchTranscript0:00SS United States sinking, County's eleven point four two dollars million contract0:04plan explained.0:07County staff proposed another nine hundred and forty four dollars zero just to dock0:11the SS United States.0:12Their financing schedule reaches eleven dollars four hundred and twenty zero, most0:16of it tourism money.0:17That money backs preparations to turn the nine hundred ninety-foot ocean liner into0:21an artificial reef.0:22On November10, we reported a revised deployment schedule and several price tags that0:26didn't line up.0:27The new breakdown explains more of that commitment.0:30How much of the public bill can those contract figures explain?0:33The ship left mobile under tow on November9.0:35Its planned destination is about twenty, two nautical miles southwest of Destin,0:39Fort Walton Beach, in the Gulf of Mexico.0:42Officials advanced deployment by one day because heavy winds made Thursday's0:45conditions unsafe.0:47The financial question reaches beyond that final voyage.0:49Earlier figures included a ten point one dollars million county commitment and a0:53contractor amount of ten dollars one hundred and seventy eight zero.0:56Another account put acquisition at one dollar million and preparation at another1:00thirteen dollars million.1:01Those figures still can't all be treated as the same bill.1:04Colleen Marine's original contract was seven dollars two hundred twenty-eight zero.1:08The December two thousand and twenty-five amendment brought it to ten dollars one1:11hundred and seventy-eight zero.1:12Staff's September2026 proposal adds one dollar two hundred forty-two zero, taking1:17the schedule to eleven dollars four hundred and twenty-zero for the towing,1:20preparation and deployment agreement.1:22That's an increase of four dollars one hundred and ninety two zero or fifty eight1:27percent across this contract.1:28Staff presented those amounts in an amendment recommendation.1:31The final signed agreement and paid invoices still need reconciling.1:35Calling the whole project fifty eight percent over budget would go beyond what those1:38figures show.1:39The Second Amendment added two dollars nine hundred and fifty zero.1:43It allocated three hundred dollars zero to extra dockage and five hundred dollars1:47zero to contractor unknowns.1:49Another two dollars one hundred and fifty zero covered unforeseen regulatory1:53requirements, insurance mandates, port directives, and maritime conditions tied to1:56the Philadelphia II mobile tow.1:58An earlier change moved the preparation site from Norfolk, Virginia to Mobile,2:02Alabama.2:02That first amendment was executed in November2024 .2:06County staff said the move increased upfront costs, while their table assigns the2:10amendment a zero dollar net addition.2:12The schedule provides no separate charge to add for that move.2:15By the September proposal, staff described remediation as finished and the ship is2:19waiting months for final Army Corps of Engineers approval.2:22Birth charges kept accumulating during that wait.2:25The liner had undergone remediation and preparation in mobile since March2025 .2:30The Third Amendment proposal assigns nine hundred forty four dollars zero to dockage2:34coverage through December thirty, one, two thousand and twenty-six, another two2:38hundred ninety-eight dollars zero restores towing and deployment funds depleted by2:41continued regulatory compliance.2:43Together, those two amounts account for the entire proposed one dollar two hundred2:47forty two zero increase.2:49The December date describes the birth coverage staff saw while approvals were2:53pending.2:53The ship has since departed, and the county has defended Colleen Marine's2:57performance, arguing that the underlying work stayed much closer to its original3:01budget than the overall contract growth suggests.3:03County staff say core contracted tasks remain within about ten percent of the3:07original budget.3:08That assessment covers a narrower set of work.3:11The fifty-eight percent increase covers the full contract schedule, including added3:14dockage and other requirements.3:16The financing also clears up a potential double count.3:19Outside contributions sit inside the eleven dollars four hundred and twenty zero3:23schedule.3:23Adding them again would inflate the amount.3:25The county's funding categories match the proposed contract total exactly.3:29The schedule lists seven dollars two hundred and twenty eight zero in tourism funds,3:33three dollars five hundred and seventy five zero in grants and outside funding, and3:37six hundred seventeen dollars zero redirected for marketing.3:40Together, they finance the displayed eleven dollars four hundred and twenty zero.3:43Staff describe the outside support as executed or committed.3:46Committed support can still be awaiting payment.3:49Tourism funds and the marketing reallocation together provide seven dollars eight3:53hundred forty-five zero or sixty eight point seven percent of this financing3:56schedule.3:57The county is redirecting tourism marketing and promotion money.4:00Those calculations reconcile the exact contractor totals.4:03While acquisition and other project spending still need a final accounting, staff4:07also sought pre-approval for approximately one hundred ten dollars, zero in4:11deployment, weak expenses, alongside Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation4:15Commission overtime assistance.4:16An earlier one hundred dollars, zero purchase order had been authorized for security4:20coordination.4:21Those are requests and authorizations.4:23So adding both to the contractor total would be misleading.4:26The Commission's law enforcement division coordinated offshore security from4:29departure through sinking.4:31Partners included the Coast Guard Florida Law Enforcement, Federal Firearms Agents,4:34Eglin and the County Sheriff, alongside emergency, management, and medical4:38personnel.4:39Eligible costs covered overtime, fuel, lodging, travel, equipment, temporary4:44certified personnel, supplies, and a catered security.4:47Agency meal.4:48A state travel system change froze travel expenses from October15 through4:52December15.4:53Overtime could still be paid.4:54County staff therefore sought to handle fuel, lodging, boat slips, meals, and minor4:59equipment directly for the security detail.5:01The request sought direct vendor payments instead of purchase orders.5:04Plus competitive procurement waivers for individual vendors above four dollars five5:08hundred.5:09Most transactions were expected to stay within that non-competitive threshold.5:13Larger examples included observation boats, marina fuel, and a hotel providing more5:17than fifty room nights.5:18Staff also requested vendor advances of up to fifty percent, backed by an invoice5:23and approval from the deputy county administrator for operations.5:26These were proposed purchasing exceptions.5:29The request doesn't tell us which advances, if any, were actually paid.5:32The same expense request included viewing and promotional arrangements.5:36Staff described more than twenty boat vendors carrying invited observers.5:39A convention, center celebration, a watch party, live streaming, and media5:43activities.5:44They expected thirty to forty vendors altogether.5:47The estimate doesn't separate security costs from hospitality and promotion.5:50The November11 send-off ceremony was cancelled.5:53A gathering at AJ Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin was planned for noon, with a live5:57feed.5:58That gathering preceded the scheduled operations.6:01A working stream and every planned vendor arrangement still await confirmation.6:04The county expects the reef to attract dive travel, charter bookings, and overnight6:08stays while creating marine habitat.6:10Those benefits haven't been measured.6:12Its world's largest artificial reef designation is also an intended outcome.6:16The November3 preservation lawsuit challenges environmental and historic6:20preservation approvals and alleges potential harm to marine life and the food web.6:24Emergency efforts to stop deployment were reportedly denied, but the environmental6:28claims haven't received a confirmed final ruling.6:30Operations remain scheduled to begin Wednesday, November11 at1 p m Central6:36Standard Time.6:36The ship's arrival at the site hasn't been confirmed.6:39The earlier one hundred yard moving tow safety zone doesn't provide a sinking site6:43spectator boundary.6:44Officials haven't confirmed that boundary or an opening date for public diving.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
