Despite the jaunty rejoinder "she was fine when she left here," many Belfast residents have viewed the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago this weekend as a symbol of shame in the once-proud city that built what was then the biggest, most opulent ship afloat.  But the flashy new Titanic Belfast, a six-story, nine-gallery, $160 million complex devoted to the birth, death, and continuing fascination with the ill-fated ocean liner, is out to change the image of Northern Ireland's capital from politically divided and economically troubled to resurgent.  PHOTO GALLERY: World's largest Titanic attractionRELATED: Titanic's 100th: Why we can't get enough of this storyRELATED: Long-lost Titanic S.O.S. is on view for first time  And while some naysayers may wince at the notion that Titanic Belfast's jammed-to-the-gills gift ship has been doing a brisk trade in Titanic-themed teddy bears and oven mats, spokesman and Belfast native Alex McGreevy begs to differ.  "There's 'dark tourism' all over the world," says McGreevy. Indeed, his own hometown has long offered excursions to sites associated with "the Troubles." The 30-year period, which ended with a peace treaty in 1998, was marked by frequent violence between proponents of a united Ireland and those who favored continued links with Britain.  But Titanic Belfast, which charges an adult admission fee of about $22 and has drawn more than 40,000 visitors since it launched March 31, " is a new beginning," he adds.  Constructed on the former slipways of Titanic's builder, Harland and Wolff, the gleaming edifice anchors what city officials hope will be a revitalized, showcase neighborhood. (A nearby sports arena opened in 2000, but Europe's economic crisis has slowed recent development.)  Inside, visitors amble through a series of galleries, several of which focus on the ship's construction and the importance Belfast commanded in early 20th century Europe. But while a few of the displays seem designed to appeal only to obsessive "Titanoracs," the attraction's interactive, high-tech emphasis pays off.  Though I wasn't wowed by the six-minute, Disneyesque tram ride through a simulated version of a working shipyard, I was fascinated by detailed recreations of a first, second and third class cabin on the Titanic, accompanied by holographic images of actors portraying passengers and crew.  And, like most vistors, I was mesmerized by the transparent glass floor that shows actual footage of the doomed ship resting in its North Atlantic graveyard.
Ever since the Belfast-built Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage 100 years ago this weekend, the city's residents have been telling themselves that what had been the largest and most opulent  vessel afloat "was fine when she left here."