A city-owned riverboat? Protesters urge council to keep Spirit of Peoria in the community

JJ Bullock, Journal Star
·2 min read
In this Journal Star file photo from July 5, 2020, the Spirit of Peoria excursion boat passes beneath the McClugage Bridge on its way up the Illinois River.
In this Journal Star file photo from July 5, 2020, the Spirit of Peoria excursion boat passes beneath the McClugage Bridge on its way up the Illinois River.

Protesters gathered outside of Peoria City Hall on Tuesday and concerned residents addressed the City Council to encourage councilmembers to find a way to keep the Spirit of Peoria riverboat in Peoria.

Employees of the paddlewheel boat, which has been in Peoria since 1988 and offers trips on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, say it has been sold to an undisclosed buyer outside of Peoria. The sale means the riverboat could be moved from the city.

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali confirmed Tuesday night the city was aware of the sale and had 90 days to match the sale offer to keep the Spirit here.

Boat captain Alex Grieves has not responded to telephone and Facebook messages since last week seeking comment. A sale price has not been cited.

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'Heart of this town'

Brian "Fox" Ellis, an author and storyteller who has taken part in Spirit cruises for 30 years, told the council the 90-day right-of-refusal clause was put into the boat's sale contract to keep it in Peoria.

Ellis said Peoria has "always been a river town" and the boat was the "heart of this town."

He proposed that if the city did not buy the boat outright, it should explore a system "like the Green Bay Packers" and give the citizens of Peoria a chance to purchase the boat together through individual shares.

Barry Cloyd, a frequent musical performer on the boat for the last 22 years, said Peoria residents have "a deep connection to the river" that justifies a city purchase.

"In order to celebrate that, it is almost imperative that we as a community think of just how important that boat is," Cloyd said. "It's a lot more than just a big name on the back of a boat. The Spirit of Peoria ... is the part of the literal spirit of this town."

Protesters gather outside Peoria City Hall ahead of Tuesday night's council meeting in an effort to draw attention to the potential sale of the Spirit of Peoria riverboat.
Protesters gather outside Peoria City Hall ahead of Tuesday night's council meeting in an effort to draw attention to the potential sale of the Spirit of Peoria riverboat.

Mele Davis, a bartender on the Spirit of Peoria, said the boat's crew of 30 to 40 seasonal workers was informed last week that Grieves had accepted the sale offer.

Davis said she was "shocked" at the news of the boat being for sale.

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"It's understated, the tourism value it's bringing to the riverfront," Davis said. "Seems like they shouldn't let that go."

Jamie Lutes, one of the others attending the protest, said it's important Peoria focuses on the hospitality industry when debating whether or not to keep the boat and keeps in mind the impact the boat has on downtown bars, restaurants and hotels.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria City Council urged by protesters to buy Spirit of Peoria boat