thorn to many Port Royal residents might soon become a blooming flower of economic development providing a larger tax base for the town if a proposal floated Thursday by Gov. Mark Sanford becomes reality.

The governor suggested the State Ports Authority close its port operation in Port Royal and transfer the assets to a public-private or solely private enterprise to benefit taxpayers.

A once-viable, profitable port operation has slumped to a money loser. In February 1999, the authority submitted an affidavit claiming it would lose $5 million if a temporary injunction prohibiting nighttime port operations was granted to the Town of Port Royal. In the last fiscal year, the port lost $58,000, according to authority officials.

The authority and Port Royal residents have been at odds for decades. Air quality, dust, late-night noise and sweetheart deals for private companies operating on port property have been contentious points. Those points lead to a memorandum of understanding, the only one the authority has with a community, and allegations by residents of violations of the agreement.

The port has been a part of the town's history for centuries. Port Royal is a waterfront town, steeped in maritime history. The Ports authority built Pier 21 in 1958 and has operated it as an industrial site since then, some years more active than others.

Throughout the port's history a variety of products have been shipped in and out, destined for and from various parts of the world. Bananas from Ecuador, liquid kaolin slurry headed to Canada, frozen poultry headed to Guyana and gypsum rock from Spain are just some of the items that have been loaded and unloaded. In 1998 and 1999 dry cement from Spain and Venezuela was shipped to the docks and loaded onto trucks and rail cars that carried it to construction sites throughout the Southeast.

Neighbors complained about the dust when dry clay was being shipped. Speeding trucks along Paris Avenue provoked complaints for more than a decade. Others complained when a steel company wanted to use the port for a potential plant in Hampton.

In 1996, five Port Royal mayoral candidates cited the port as the biggest issue facing town government.

While some complain that the port was more trouble than it was worth, the Ports Authority has pumped money into the area. Since 1984, the authority has invested at least $2.3 million in projects that affect the town, such as The Sands Beach, the Blue Channel property revitalization and the paving of Seventh Street and Paris Avenue.

Reality is that the port is now losing money. The Port of Charleston handles in a few days the same amount of cargo shipped through Port Royal in a year.

"Bottom line, that's a facility that's at best underutilized," the governor said in his frank assessment at a meeting Thursday. "I would ask that, given where it is, we look at how quickly we can close it."

The port won't be closed tomorrow, however. The General Assembly passed legislation requiring the ports authority to operate ports in Charleston, Georgetown and Port Royal. Consequently legislators must change the law. Such a proposal has the support of local lawmakers. State Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head, and Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, agree the governor is on the right track.

Some people think the waterfront property could be better used for residences or retail shops and restaurants. In the 1980s Bud Marchant, a former executive director of the Greater Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, even proposed that the port be closed and a theater be created for an outdoor drama. Lately, newly elected County Councilman Dick Stewart has suggested that the town could benefit from private enterprise at the port. On Friday, Stewart, Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis and others discussed including the community in planning the future of the port. That is a positive step since so many have been critical of the current operations.

While it is unlikely that the port will return to its heyday, which prompted a boom of seafood-related businesses, when seafood dealers turned the old railroad depot into a packing shed, the area has great possibilities. Restaurants, small businesses, even a theater have potential, as does expensive condominiums and homes. It could even lead to a convention complex, after all, decades ago Port Royal had its own hotel on London Avenue. Whatever the future holds, though, it shouldn't resemble the ugly drystack boat house that the ports authority allowed to be built a few months ago.

A few years ago, Port Royal completed a comprehensive masterplan. Town officials should dust off the plans and review them to include potential development at this site. If they don't have a plan, they'll get what they deserve -- blight. Whatever is proposed for the future of that valuable property, the best interests of the town, the county and the Lowcountry community need to be considered foremost.

For now though, Gov. Sanford has it correct. Examine "É how quickly we can close it."