State proposes 25-year tideland lease for Goldbelt cruise terminal on Douglas Island

The Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water proposed Friday to lease about 152 acres of state tidelands on northwestern Douglas Island to Goldbelt Inc., Juneau's Alaska Native corporation, for 25 years. Goldbelt plans two cruise ship berths, small ship docks, a tour boat return dock, a private small boat harbor and a small boat launch there.

Goldbelt had asked for 55 years. The division said a shorter term lets it re-evaluate the land and state resources more often and "reassess the use of the area."

The site is in Stephens Passage, about 9.3 miles west of downtown Juneau. Goldbelt says it would serve up to 10,000 guests and 3,000 ship workers during the tourist season.

The preliminary decision finds the lease may be in the state's best interest. It cites annual use payments, indirect benefits from development on west Douglas Island and expansion of Juneau's tourism footprint.

Rent would start at the state's $1,000-a-year minimum until an appraisal sets fair market value. Goldbelt would post a $600,000 performance guaranty the state can use for cleanup and restoration if Goldbelt does not meet the lease terms.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game did not object but warned the project will likely interfere with its crab stock surveys and likely have a significant impact on commercial and personal use crab fisheries. From 2015 to 2025, 11 permit holders took an average of 67,075 pounds of commercial Dungeness crab a year from the statistical area where the project sits. The lease would bar construction June 15 to July 15, the last two weeks of August and the first week of November, and minimize in-water pile driving April 15 to June 1 to protect migrating fish.

The lease carries a 50-foot public access easement along the shore.

Alaska News previously covered a federal noise permit for terminal construction that could affect sea otters. "Once developed, the port is expected to become one of Juneau's largest taxpayers," Goldbelt President and CEO McHugh Pierre said in Goldbelt's vision statement in May. Pierre told a Juneau Assembly committee in September 2025 that prospective customers intend to honor Juneau's five-ship daily limit, according to draft minutes. An Assembly committee advanced an ordinance in August to write that limit into city code.

Written comments on the public notice are due Nov. 23. Only people who comment in writing can appeal the final decision.