Due to overwhelming demand for tickets to the December 16, 2017 Commissioning Ceremony of the USS Little Rock LCS 9 at Canalside, the Commissioning Committee has been forced to end ticket registration.
“We have seen an overwhelming request for tickets and capacity for this event at Canalside has been reached.” commented Maurice L. Naylon III, chairman of the local Commissioning Committee. “With nearly 9,000 people requesting tickets, we have reached the limit for attendance given the layout of Canalside for the commissioning of the USS Little Rock LCS 9.”
Although tickets for the Commissioning Ceremony on December 16th are sold out, the general public is able to see the USS Little Rock LCS 9 while the ship is docked at Canalside for Commissioning Week December 8 – 17. More information and a schedule of events for Commissioning Week are available at www.usslittlerocklcs9.org.
Canalside will be open during the Commissioning Week so the general public can view LCS 9 without a ticket. Canalside streets will be closed to vehicle traffic and visitors are encourage to use the NFTA Metro Rail to get to Canalside for Commissioning Week. Canalside will be a secured area and anyone visiting Canalside during Commissioning Week will be required to pass through TSA type security screening.
This event is historic for LCS 9, her crew, the Navy and all of Buffalo and Western New York as this will be the first time in the 242-year US Navy history, that a new ship is commissioned alongside her namesake – the original USS Little Rock, now on permanent display at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park. This ship was in service from August 27, 1944 until her decommissioning in November 1976.
The Buffalo Naval & Military Park will be open during Commissioning Week giving people a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to see both ships.
The USS Little Rock LCS 9 Commissioning Committee is an all-volunteer effort responsible for the oversight and organization of activities in support of the Commissioning Ceremony. In addition to organizing, managing, funding and producing the activities and events for the Commissioning week, the Committee is charged with raising money to fund a number of scholarships and initiatives. Net proceeds will benefit scholarships for students in our community as well as provide financial support for the decommissioned USS Little Rock on permanent display at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park.
The mission of the committee is to pull-together a first class event – something fitting of the historical significance of this commissioning. Support for the Commissioning Committee comes from The Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, Try-It Distributing, Charles F Kreiner, Jr., American DND, MOOG, Rolls-Royce, West Herr Auto Group, Lockheed Martin, Dunn Tire, Basil Auto Group, New Era Cap, Lawley and Acquest Development.
More information the USS Little Rock LCS 9 Commissioning Committee can be found at www.usslittlerocklcs9.org. USS Little Rock LCS 9 Commissioning Committee social media accounts include: Facebook: USS Little Rock – LCS 9, on Twitter: @usslittlerock9, and on Instagram: usslittlerocklcs9.
