With Lenfest Donation, Plans for S.S. United States Abound

by KYW's John McDevitt

With the announcement this past week of a Philadelphia philanthropist donating millions of dollars to save the rusting S.S United States from the scrap yard, what happens next?

Philanthropist Gerry Lenfest says all he did was create the opportunity and prime the pump so that the S.S United States Conservancy can go ahead now and raise millions more to turn it into a hospitality attraction.

Exactly what will be housed inside the ship has yet to be determined:

"She could be a hotel. She could be a museum. She could be a place that people just want to come visit. I think it could be a great attraction for Philadelphia or New York; if she went to New York because the liners row was all in New York."

Lenfest says the restoration will happen in the Philadelphia Navy yard creating thousands of jobs for Philadelphia.

Thanks to the donation the conservancy is expected to take full ownership of the S.S United States from current owner Norwegian cruise lines on February 1st.