PEARL HARBOR — Dignitaries today blessed and opened the first phase of the new, $58 million USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, which will welcome thousands of visitors tomorrow.

The first phase of the center includes a centralized ticketing office for all of the attractions near the USS Arizona Memorial, a new bookstore, education and research center, more and larger bathrooms, snack bar and administrative offices.
Construction on the second phase of the visitor center begins tomorrow on the grounds of the old center, which was built in 1980 but is settling more than 30 inches into the unsteady ground.
The new center was built on top of “piles” driven 200 feet into the soil and are designed to keep the new visitor center stable.