WILMINGTON — Officials with the Battleship North Carolina say a sluggish economy and cold weather led to fewer visitors in fiscal year 2011.

The StarNews of Wilmington reports that the state auditor’s office reports that the battleship saw about 16,000 fewer visitors compared to the previous year. Battleship officials say the decline followed a year in which the battleship reported the best attendance it had experienced in eight years.

Battleship executive director Capt. Terry Bragg called 2011 unique, but site officials have other ways of attracting visitors.

The battleship offers professional military education programs and is available for private events, such as weddings and birthday parties. It also launched an online store in December.

Attendance so far this year has jumped 17 percent between Oct. 1 and the end of March.