Will the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE succumb to the virus?

[Jim Reising]

Louisville like every other city in the nation is suffering from the virus. Tax revenues are almost nonexistent, all major hotels have closed, conventions have been canceled, tourist have disappeared. The Kentucky Derby has been postponed until September. The city just furloughed 350 employees and the mayor says that is just the beginning. Right in the cross hairs is our dear BELLE OF LOUISVILLE. This is the time of the year when the BELLE is normally its busiest with school trips, Derby parties, weddings, senior proms, and dinner cruises; all that has gone away. With social distancing the BELLE sits tied to the bank with just a skeleton crew still on the payroll. Last year the city was not suffering nearly this bad and the mayor cut the BELLE's funding to the point that the BELLE only cruised because of a generous stipend from the convention bureau...this year there are no conventions. Nobody knows when it will cruise again or if the crowds and tourists will return.
The BELLE has appealed for donations from the public but the future doesn't look good.

[R. Dale Flick]

*RE: B. of L./'C-Virus' fallout*
Morning, Jim,
Just tuned in reading your above 'Will the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE succumb to the virus?' Interesting question and I for certain know I don't know nor do we think anybody with the boat really knows for sure themselves. Right now 'time will tell' with many things possibly becoming "the new abnormal." This situation may linger on longer than we think with social distancing possibly for many months to come. I don't know about the BELLE but I do listen to two family members with one a doctor, the other a microbiologist. Boats/ships, by nature, have people closer together. In the last week or so I see/receive a mounting number of 'public appeals' for continuing and increased contributions for churches, social, political, art, music, ballet, museums, hospitals etc. etc. to help their work. With this we see millions unemployed, working from home with their own personal and family needs pressing them. What's the old saying? "Charity begins at home." The BELLE is, I gather, in the public domain in Louisville with the city down there itself also facing drastic reductions with needs that the public may find far more important. People do take issue with money possibly going for a boat. I also gather that a small contribution here and there isn't going to cover any major losses. It's a real dilemma for sure. Here in Cincinnati many to most river projects now canceled...POOF!...ZILCH!...GONE!

A financial advisor/portfolio specialisat told me last week that in fiances things will take longer to recover with many new "abnormals." Also projected with big business, industry etc. now restudying the need for large office space rented or leased now finding many of their employees can work at home. Commercial real estate companies and developers may be in for a jolt. It sounds nice asking for more contributions and gifts but reality will play the upper hand. This whole thing reminds me of some memories I have of end of World War II with rationing, restrictions. In some ways we are on a war footing. Only time will tell. Hope all well down there.

R. Dale Flick
Old Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

[Jim Reising]

In today's Courier Journal the management of the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE say the boat needs $700,000 to go through it's 5 year inspection later this year. They don't have to money. If the drydocking is not done on schedule the boat will loose it's COI which means, like what happened to the DQ, all of the old grandfathered regulations would end and the boat would have to be brought up to all the latest regulations. This would be impossible. The City of Louisville is facing, according to the mayor, a 46 million dollar shortfall this year with no funding for the BELLE. The city council is luke warm on trying to fund the BELLE because they already facing cutting essential city services such as fire dept, EMS, police and sanitation. I would say the situation looks dire.

[Jon Tschiggfrie]

Surely those in positions of management at Waterfront Development Corp. are pursuing multiple avenues for securing the funds for the inspection, whether they be private individuals, organizations, or otherwise. In such a dire situation, to do otherwise would demonstrate an unthinkably negligent lack of concern for the old boat, the people she employs, and everything they do for the City of Louisville.