Residents of Juneau (Alaska) will have the opportunity to learn more about Huna Totem Corporation's proposal to build a 5th cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau. The corporation and the city are planning 2 joint meetings at City Hall next week, allowing the public to provide feedback on the project.
The subject of cruise ship tourism growth and management has become a contentious issue in the community. Juneau City Manager Katie Koester emphasized that public input is vital, as the proposed multimillion-dollar project could significantly alter the downtown area and the impact of tourism on local residents. Koester highlighted the importance of having discussions before any official decisions are made, suggesting that community feedback would play a crucial role in shaping the assembly's decisions regarding lease requirements and eventual approval.
Huna Totem Corporation, an Alaska Native village corporation, put forward the proposal for the new dock in 2022 after receiving waterfront property near Juneau’s U.S. Coast Guard station from Norwegian Cruise Lines. The corporation plans to develop the dock alongside a waterfront development called Aak’w Landing, which would feature underground parking, retail space, and a cultural and science center. Permits for both the dock and the development were approved by the planning commission in 2023.
Russell Dick, the president and CEO of Huna Totem, expressed that the project would provide significant benefits to the Juneau community and Alaska Native people. He described the transformation of the currently unappealing gravel lot into a space that could make local residents proud.
The upcoming meetings will take place prior to the Assembly's vote on whether to approve leasing city-owned tidelands to Huna Totem, a necessary step for the corporation to proceed with the project. Without these leases, the proposed dock cannot move forward. Koester anticipates that the Assembly will vote on the tideland leases within the year, but before that, the city is committed to ensuring that residents have ample opportunities to voice their opinions on the proposal.
Koester expressed that the meetings would provide a valuable chance for informal public feedback, which she noted is essential in engaging the community. She encouraged residents to participate in the meetings to share their views.
Huna Totem’s proposed dock is not the only cruise ship dock being considered in the Juneau area. In October, Goldbelt Incorporated and Royal Caribbean Group announced their partnership to develop a new cruise ship port on the backside of Douglas Island. That proposal is still in the design phase and will undergo a permitting process.