KSweeley 63 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 I just found a Baltimore Sun article regarding a $1.3 billion warship coming to Baltimore City for a commissioning ceremony and it mentions Otakon. URL: http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-b...0,6075374.story The new USS Sterett, a $1.3 billion missile destroyer, ranks among the world's most technically advanced warships. It officially starts duty in Baltimore in early August, the first major naval ship to be commissioned here in nearly a quarter-century. Named for a Baltimore-born 19th-century naval officer, the Sterett DDG-104 comes to port Aug. 2 for a week of festivities before its official commissioning at the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal. "It's a brand-new crew," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Kenneth C. Malley, an Edgewater resident and chairman of the Sterett commissioning committee. "A lot of them are right out of boot camp. Some have never been to sea before." The Aug. 9 commissioning will be a big day for the crew and its host, the port of Baltimore. The Sterett will berth at the port's cruise ship terminal next to the historic backdrop of the USS Constellation, which will be transported from its usual Inner Harbor mooring for the ceremony. Organizers expect as many as 5,000 will attend the commissioning. It is a boost to the local tourism industry, but nothing compared to the Otakon 2008 anime convention expected to bring 20,000 fans of Japanese animation to the Baltimore Convention Center that same weekend, Malley said. "It will definitely be a busy weekend in Baltimore," said Nancy Hinds, spokeswoman for the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association. "It's a great way to showcase the city." Link to post Share on other sites
RPGoddess 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Man, how did I miss that in yesterday's paper? Probably went "battleship?! Boring! Where is my muffin at. Nom nom nom nom nom" at 7am or whenever I was reading the paper. =_= The Aug. 9 commissioning will be a big day for the crew and its host, the port of Baltimore. The Sterett will berth at the port's cruise ship terminal next to the historic backdrop of the USS Constellation, which will be transported from its usual Inner Harbor mooring for the ceremony. Link to post Share on other sites
Jessi_B 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Wow, Baltimore's going to be really crowded that weekend! Between the warship, Otakon, the Orioles home game, and other things, Baltimore's gonna be hoppin' with activity. Reading about the ship is really neat, too. Link to post Share on other sites
Aresef 113 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Not to mention Virgin Festival, which drags in 60,000+. So basically, Baltimore that weekend will be packed. And the ATM's will run out of money twice as fast. Hold onto your wallets, kiddies. Link to post Share on other sites
MissV 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Good; More money for the city. Link to post Share on other sites
evaunit01berserk 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Man, how did I miss that in yesterday's paper? Probably went "battleship?! Boring! Where is my muffin at. Nom nom nom nom nom" at 7am or whenever I was reading the paper. =_= The Aug. 9 commissioning will be a big day for the crew and its host, the port of Baltimore. The Sterett will berth at the port's cruise ship terminal next to the historic backdrop of the USS Constellation, which will be transported from its usual Inner Harbor mooring for the ceremony. Also next to the historic backdrop of a cardboard box Gundam and a sexy Moogle! Link to post Share on other sites
Michelle Bluesummers 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 since when did moogles get sexy, much less historic backdrop moogles Link to post Share on other sites
RPGoddess 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) Man, how did I miss that in yesterday's paper? Probably went "battleship?! Boring! Where is my muffin at. Nom nom nom nom nom" at 7am or whenever I was reading the paper. =_= The Aug. 9 commissioning will be a big day for the crew and its host, the port of Baltimore. The Sterett will berth at the port's cruise ship terminal next to the historic backdrop of the USS Constellation, which will be transported from its usual Inner Harbor mooring for the ceremony. Also next to the historic backdrop of a cardboard box Gundam and a sexy Moogle! Edited July 5, 2008 by RPGoddess Link to post Share on other sites
KSweeley 63 Posted July 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) I find it interesting that Otakon has been mentioned by a retired Navy Vice Admiral, this shows how widely Otakon is known among the non-anime people it seems like. Edited July 5, 2008 by KSweeley Link to post Share on other sites
evaunit01berserk 0 Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Also... topic! (sorry for the brief hijack there, folks!) Link to post Share on other sites
Shineigami02 0 Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Not to mention Virgin Festival, which drags in 60,000+. So basically, Baltimore that weekend will be packed. And the ATM's will run out of money twice as fast. Hold onto your wallets, kiddies. Now if only I can make my friends coming with me this year realize this... LoL The Inner Harbor is bound to be an interesting place to be this years Otakon weekend, that's for sure. Between the anime fans, music fans, baseball fans & the Navy? The Inner Harbor will be a literal melting pot creating some interesting clashes & appreciations during the weekend I'm sure. I'll definately be down there to see the battleship & take a few pictures during the weekend. After all, my Dad wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I didn't, I come from a family with a strong Military connection, Navy certainly included. What an interesting con we'll have this year... Link to post Share on other sites
Michelle Bluesummers 0 Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Not to mention Virgin Festival, which drags in 60,000+. So basically, Baltimore that weekend will be packed. And the ATM's will run out of money twice as fast. Hold onto your wallets, kiddies. Now if only I can make my friends coming with me this year realize this... LoL The Inner Harbor is bound to be an interesting place to be this years Otakon weekend, that's for sure. Between the anime fans, music fans, baseball fans & the Navy? The Inner Harbor will be a literal melting pot creating some interesting clashes & appreciations during the weekend I'm sure. I'll definately be down there to see the battleship & take a few pictures during the weekend. After all, my Dad wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I didn't, I come from a family with a strong Military connection, Navy certainly included. What an interesting con we'll have this year... Link to post Share on other sites
Champagon 0 Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 epic Link to post Share on other sites
Duelistbluerose 0 Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 So basically, Baltimore that weekend will be packed. And the ATM's will run out of money twice as fast. Hold onto your wallets, kiddies. Link to post Share on other sites
rotinoma 2 Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 I guess this also means the line at Chipotle will be twice as long. But I get to check out some sexy hardware on the way to and fro...and maybe while in the line. Link to post Share on other sites
motoki-O 23 Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 Just a reminder that the Sterett won't be in the Inner Harbor for the commissioning. The ceremony will take place at the Baltimore cruise ship terminal (link), about two miles southeast of the convention center. The Constellation will actually be undocked from its usual Inner Harbor mooring and then sailed out around Fort McHenry and under the 95 bridge in order to meet the Sterett at the terminal. So don't expect to just walk out of the BCC and run into the whole naval celebration immediately; you'll probably need to take a car if you want to see it. However, the commissioning ceremony only takes up Saturday evening, and many people coming for the Sterett will be in Baltimore for the entire weekend, so I expect to see a lot of Navy folks/boat fans coming to the Inner Harbor for the Orioles (on Friday/Sunday) or for the other Inner Harbor attractions. Link to post Share on other sites
MissV 0 Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 I'm just going to point out, that Pimlico Race Course (where Virgin Festival is), is no where near the Inner Harbor, so I wouldn't worry that much about Chipolte and other places being even more crowded then they already would be. Link to post Share on other sites
The Eva Monkey 14 Posted July 7, 2008 Report Share Posted July 7, 2008 Represent. Link to post Share on other sites
rotinoma 2 Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 Just a reminder that the Sterett won't be in the Inner Harbor for the commissioning. The ceremony will take place at the Baltimore cruise ship terminal (link), about two miles southeast of the convention center. The Constellation will actually be undocked from its usual Inner Harbor mooring and then sailed out around Fort McHenry and under the 95 bridge in order to meet the Sterett at the terminal. Link to post Share on other sites
Neardawg 7 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Man, how did I miss that in yesterday's paper? Probably went "battleship?! Boring! Where is my muffin at. Nom nom nom nom nom" at 7am or whenever I was reading the paper. =_= The Aug. 9 commissioning will be a big day for the crew and its host, the port of Baltimore. The Sterett will berth at the port's cruise ship terminal next to the historic backdrop of the USS Constellation, which will be transported from its usual Inner Harbor mooring for the ceremony. Also next to the historic backdrop of a cardboard box Gundam and a sexy Moogle! Link to post Share on other sites
ithilienne 2 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 That explains a lot. Didn't know that thing can still move It takes a relatively large crew to sail a ship like the constitution, so it rarely ever moves. If they don't have the manpower, they might just tow it with tugs (carefully). It's the Constellation. Sorry, I'm kind of fussy about distinguishing the two (Constitution is the one in Boston) - ours should have been just as old as the Constitution, but it got re-built from the keel up to be better/faster/stronger. And from what my somewhat-of-an-Age of Sail-geek boyfriend informs me, the Constellation will most likely, as you suggest, be poked and pulled with tugboats because of the ship's extreme age. That said, the Constitution is sailed under her own power every year, and is older by several decades than the current Constellation. On the other hand, the Constitution is also maintained fastidiously (she still has her commission, after all!), and is probably much more seaworthy than the Constellation. We'll see! <-- is very, very modestly a boat geek Link to post Share on other sites
coolerninjathanu 0 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I think this yr will be fun. Now its going to be more people asking whats going on when everyone is cosplaying. I think i want to go to the decomisioning. Iv seen 1 before for my ma, but i want to see it with complete strangers. I cant wait for the concert manly because the people are focused on the lastest music (in english) and then they'll go to the marina and see us and be like. "Its a star wars convention" I cant wait. Its also meaning more people in the restaurants and hotels. Link to post Share on other sites
motoki-O 23 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I think i want to go to the decomisioning. Iv seen 1 before for my ma, but i want to see it with complete strangers. I cant wait for the concert manly because the people are focused on the lastest music (in english) and then they'll go to the marina and see us and be like. "Its a star wars convention" I cant wait. Its also meaning more people in the restaurants and hotels. Just to clarify: The Constellation was decommissioned in 1955. This ceremony is for the commissioning of a newly-built destroyer. The ceremony will not take place in the Inner Harbor. It will be at the Baltimore cruise terminal, two miles southeast of downtown. The crowds attending the commissioning ceremony will not be within eyeshot of the convention center, though we may see them flock to the tourist areas downtown before and after the ceremony itself. Link to post Share on other sites
tstidm1 0 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) It is going to be a busy weekend in Baltimore. It may get a few people who have never been to an anime con to Otakon. Edited July 10, 2008 by tstidm1 Link to post Share on other sites
shonen_jidai 0 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 There'll definitely be an interesting mix of people about the Inner Harbor encountering cosplayers for the first time! Should be fun!^^ Link to post Share on other sites
Duelistbluerose 0 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 There'll definitely be an interesting mix of people about the Inner Harbor encountering cosplayers for the first time! Should be fun!^^ Link to post Share on other sites
alabaster 0 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 There'll definitely be an interesting mix of people about the Inner Harbor encountering cosplayers for the first time! Should be fun!^^ an interesting mix..... as in: baseball fans, rock concert fans, ship ceremony, and the usual tourists. i wonder what they'll think of the cosplayers I believe the Navy refers to them as "Uniforms". Link to post Share on other sites
Aresef 113 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 Bonus points to any Char cosplayer who heads over there. Link to post Share on other sites
Neardawg 7 Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 That explains a lot. Didn't know that thing can still move It takes a relatively large crew to sail a ship like the constitution, so it rarely ever moves. If they don't have the manpower, they might just tow it with tugs (carefully). Link to post Share on other sites
Duelistbluerose 0 Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 There'll definitely be an interesting mix of people about the Inner Harbor encountering cosplayers for the first time! Should be fun!^^ an interesting mix..... as in: baseball fans, rock concert fans, ship ceremony, and the usual tourists. i wonder what they'll think of the cosplayers Link to post Share on other sites
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