Receiving cruise ships is big business, and megaships is every destination’s dream

Receiving cruise ships is big business, receiving megaships is every destination’s dream. With the cruise ship industry now building massive megaships that won’t fit under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Port Tampa Bay officials rightly want to explore ways to keep from being squeezed out of the market.

But it’s essential they don’t allow that effort to justify ventures that would wreck Tampa Bay, which after decades of pollution and abuse has made a remarkable comeback.

At least one of the proposals that may be considered — the construction of a new cruise ship terminal on submerged land near the mouth of the bay — we fear would be hugely destructive.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a member of the Tampa Port Authority, is justifiably worried.