Long ago it was standard practice to send an old decommissioned ship to ship-breakers who would tear it apart so that the scrap steel could be re-used. In the process, valuable history was literally destroyed.
By the 1960s enlightened people were able to save a few of the remaining ships, mainly those from the WW2 era, making them into museums. I’ve toured the USS Alabama and the USS North Carolina, and there are few things more awesome than an old battleship.
Sad to say, not only is California broke, but it has long been unenlightened where AMERICAN history is concerned. A battleship is politically incorrect, especially to state legislators, excepting perhaps a few Republicans.
The USS IOWA would be rather difficult to transport to the State of Iowa, for obvious reasons, but there is no reason why it has to end up in California.
It would look great parked at Davenport.