To celebrate the one year anniversary of the arrival of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fleet to the Port of Newport, the town threw a two-day barbeque with enough cake to feed 300 people.

Around town the NOAA Corps men and women are offered discounts at restaurants, The Statesman Journal reported (http://stjr.nl/OcXNuN) Sunday.

The small coastal community had fought hard for the marine operations center, beating out the likes of Seattle and Bellingham, Wash. The center had been on Lake Union in Seattle for nearly 50 years.

"This town has really just gone crazy," said Daniella Crowder, who owns Bike Newport with her husband. "They're treated like celebrities. It's a funny thing."

A sense of pride has crept over Newport. Driving over the Yaquina Bay Bridge, the stately NOAA vessels demand attention.

"It's gorgeous to drive over the bridge and see those ships," Crowder said.

The fleet's Seattle dock burned in 2006, and the search for a new home port became a hot political battle between Oregon and Washington. After NOAA chose Newport, Washington Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell called for an investigation. But in the end the fleet ended up moving.

While no official counts have been made, Newport representatives say local restaurants have seen more businesses and the fleet's personnel have rented or bought homes. Also local schools have benefited from science partnerships with the research center.

We have not completed an economic benefit study at this point, that's one of the things we are planning on doing," said Port of Newport Manager Don Mann. "We figure it's going to take a year or two before we see real measurable increases in economic benefits, but the apparent ones are the use of local vendors."

For some, the relationship with NOAA blossomed naturally. Take Englund Marine Supply Co. for instance.

"We got to know lots of their folks immediately," said Dean Fleck, Newport branch manager. "There's no question it has brought new business to us."

The store is diverse in its ocean-related offerings, from hydraulic hoses to rain gear.

Other merchants have gone through training provided by the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County to learn how to get on the federal list of approved businesses in order to capture NOAA dollars. The alliance was unable to provide the number of businesses that have successfully completed that training in the past year.

NOAA's arrival came with the construction of a new 40,000-square-foot center that provides logistical, engineering, maintenance and administrative support for NOAA's Pacific fleet.

There are a total of 51 shore-based employees who work at the NOAA Marine Operations Center-Pacific and another 140 or so ship-based employees who, at least part time throughout the year, are in Newport, where they either continue living on the ships or rent apartments and houses in town.