Coast Guard To Act On Race World Offshore Permit For Key West Races

In a June 24 interview on US1 Radio (FM 104.1), United States Coast Guard Key West Sector commander Adam Chamie said now that Race World Offshore has its signed contract with the City of Key West the Coast Guard can complete the permit process for RWO-produced races Nov. 3-10. The contract between RWO and Key West was approved and signed in early May.

With its permit application currently under review by the U.S. Coast Guard, Race World Offshore moved one step closer to completing a major step in producing races in Key West, Fla., in November. Photo courtesy/copyright Andy Newman/Monroe County Tourism Development Council.

“OK, so the way process works, the city signs a contract with the organization to use the waterfront and there are multiple things that go into the contract,” said Chamie. “So once that is signed, we get the permit request. And the permit request has to come along with the contract they have already signed the contract with the city.

“So I talked with (Key West city manager) Jim Scholl on Friday morning,” he continued. “The contract has been signed. The city signed it with Race World Offshore for the next five years. So now that we have the contract we will review the permit application for Race World Offshore. And if everything is in order we will approve that permit and the race will go off as planned.”

Super Boat International, which previously held the five-year contract to produce races in Key West, also has applied for a permit to produce offshore powerboat races during the same week in November. Chamie said that SBI would have to collaborate with RWO if the organization wanted to put on races in the city.

“They would have to work with Race World Offshore, since they have the contract with the city,” said Chamie. “I certainly don’t know exactly how that would work, but I suppose if they could combine forces in some then maybe John’s boats (John Carbonell is head of SBI) could race in that one as well but, again, Race World Offshore now has the contract with the city for the next five years so that is the permit we are going to review. A permit is not complete unless they sign that contract with the city.”

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