RELEASE UPON RECEIPT CONTACT: KATIE LAWHON

717-334-1124 x452

Gettysburg, PA, March 3, 1998 – At a public workshop held on March 2, the National Park Service (NPS) announced the results of public comments received to date on its plan to build a new Visitor Center and Museum for Gettysburg National Military Park.

The majority of the comments received through park newsletters, individual letters, and a survey of the members of the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg support the project. In all, 85.7% of a total of 3,258 responses are in favor of the project, 11.5% are opposed, and 2.7% are undecided.

In analyzing the comments, NPS found that those who did express concerns had questions about commercial activity in the proposal (29% wanted no commercial activity or less commercial activity), the proposed site (17%), more museum space (15%), traffic (15%), fees (13%), and private sector involvement (12%).

In response to these concerns, Kinsley Equities has identified significant changes to its proposal including an approximately 45-50% reduction of proposed related facilities for educational and visitor amenities. This includes an approximately 50% smaller National Geographic theater with a film that is not in the IMAX format; reducing the National Geographic store by approximately 15%; eliminating the proposed arts and crafts gallery and gift shop; cutting food services by approximately 50% to the minimum size necessary to meet visitor needs; and opening the proposed tour center to all varieties of educational tours with Licensed Battlefield Guides, including bike, walking, and historic vehicles.

Kinsley Equities has also suggested the addition of 1,700 square feet of public library and research space in the NPS required area of the complex.

"Public opinion overwhelmingly supports this project, and our purpose now is to address concerns about how the partnership works," states John Latschar, Gettysburg National Park Superintendent. "We have a strong sense that this is the right thing to do for the future preservation of Gettysburg. The American public is telling us to continue negotiations and work toward a project that benefits future park visitors and the National Park Service."

At the workshop, NPS also presented details of the economic concepts for the public private partnership, steps involved in the visitor center and foundation start-up, and a conceptual letter of intent between NPS and the Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation. The Foundation is a new non-profit that would provide funding through fund-raising on behalf of NPS, grants and commercial financing, to design, build and operate the new facilities through a cooperative agreement with NPS.

For a complete look at the draft Conceptual Letter of Intent, click here.

For more information about the planned project, please contact Katie Lawhon, Gettysburg National Military Park, 97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, telephone (717) 334-1124 ext. 452. Park plans are posted on the worldwide web at www.nps.gov/gett/.

-NPS-

Prepared 3/3/98

1999 General Management Plan History

Park Planning

National Park Service
Gettysburg National Military Park
97 Taneytown Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325