Lieutenant Governor Swift

MacMillan Pier Press Conference

Tuesday, November 30, 1999

As prepared for delivery

It is a pleasure to be here in Provincetown to celebrate a new beginning for the MacMillan Pier. This has been a strong collaborative effort between Provincetown officials and a wide variety of state agencies, including the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, and MassDevelopment.

I understand that it can be confusing to comprehend the alphabet soup of state agencies, but the involvement of five separate state entities underscores the Cellucci-Swift’s Administration’s recognition of the importance of MacMillan Pier to the future of Provincetown. Overall, the Commonwealth has provided $11.7 million in state funds that will bring this pier back to its rightful place as the economic and cultural soul of Provincetown. MassDevelopment has also provided $3.5 million in bridge loan financing to make this project a reality.

The MacMillan Pier has been a vital part of the Provincetown economy since 1955. But 44 years of wind, rain, snow and surf battering the pier has taken its toll. The pier was becoming too expensive to maintain and sections of the pier were already falling victim to time and the elements. If left in its existing state, the MacMillan pier was given only five to ten more years to survive.

Not only will the new MacMillan Pier continue to perform the same essential functions it has for more than four decades, but will allow for expanded services. The new MacMillan Pier will allow for more commercial fisherman to call Provincetown their home port; it will draw more tourists to charter fishing boats or take a family whale-watch cruise; it will allow for expanded high speed ferry service to connect the Outer Cape to Boston, New Bedford and other ports.

The new pier will not only help Provincetown retain more than 240 direct seasonal and year round jobs, but create more than 150 additional jobs over the next five years. And that’s just direct pier workers. An independent consultant estimates that the loss of the pier would have impacted up to 1000 jobs throughout the Cape Cod region. That is strong evidence that the pier – which brings in an estimated $4.6 million a year in commerce - is an important economic catalyst to both Provincetown and the entire Cape.

I’m pleased that we were able to use $7.5 million of Seaport Bond money to make this project a reality. I’m also pleased that we have representatives for the Massachusetts Seaport Council with us today.

Since 1997, we have spent more than $30 million in Seaport Bond money to revitalize more than 21 ports throughout Massachusetts. The Commonwealth has a storied naval heritage, and the sea has been a major part of the Massachusetts economy for centuries. The Seaport Initiative shows that we plan to continue that tradition well into the new millennium.

I would now like to present the ceremonial check that represents the Commonwealth’s investment in this important project.

The Lt. Governor visiting with Provincetown staff (lft. to rt.) Grant Administrator Michelle Jarusiewicz, Tourism Director Patricia Fitzpatrick, and Town Manager Keith A. Bergman.