What ever happened to the Matson Line ships? - General Tiki

M martiki Official Mixologist http://www.smugglerscovesf.com Joined: Mar 29, 2002 Posts: 3059	M martiki Posted posted on Wed, Mar 16, 2005 6:09 PM Actually, that's not the truth about the Lurline... The Lurline wasn't dead quite yet. Here's an article from the 6/9/1999 issue of the SF Chronicle: Aloha Means Hello Luxury liner Lurline may return to S.F. as hotel Dan Levy, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, June 9, 1999 The Lurline, a storied luxury ocean liner that was a fixture on the San Francisco waterfront for decades, may return to the Embarcadero as a $45 million floating hotel and entertainment complex. Under a plan unveiled yesterday at the San Francisco Port Commission, the 631-foot vessel, a former Matson Co. ``white ship'' that was famous for plying the seas to and from Hawaii, would be saved from the scrap heap and given new life at Pier 35 as a four-star hotel. A Walnut Creek travel company called Majestic told port officials it would pay the cost of bringing the Lurline back to town from its current home at a Tampa, Fla., shipyard and renovating it in art deco style. `This was the most well- known passenger ship that sailed out of San Francisco,'' said Christopher Kyte, head of Majestic.` We want to create 1938 on board, a real glam prewar look. It will be a true historic time capsule: porters in uniforms, masses of red roses in crystal bowls, silver place settings.'' The new Lurline would have 280 guest rooms, a restaurant, nightclub, movie theaters, an outdoor pool, a sauna, a spa and a maritime museum. Majestic says the renovation project would create about 300 union jobs in the Bay Area and bring $2 million in annual rent to the port. Port officials, while cautioning that the proposal raises many legal and bureaucratic questions -- including whether it conforms with a 1990 voter- approved ban on waterfront hotels -- gave Majestic a positive initial response. `The pictures are wonderful, and everybody is very excited about the possibility,'' said commission President Denise McCarthy.` But obviously, there are a lot of issues that have to be interpreted.'' The commission asked the city attorney's office to rule whether a floating Lurline would violate 1990's Proposition H. Kyte said he is confident that the double-stacked vessel will be legally seen as a ship, not a hotel. `It's not a hotel, it's a ship. And it's not on land, but in the water,'' Kyte said.` It's a fine point, but an important point.'' Union officials who testified at the hearing yesterday supported the Majestic plan. `The best part is that this would be a United States- flagged ship that would employ American workers,'' said Gunnar Lundberg, president of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific.` It's a good project.'' The Lurline was christened in 1931 and put into service by the Matson Co. on the San Francisco, Honolulu and Sydney route. During World War II, the ship carried hundreds of thousands of troops to the Pacific theater, and was also used around North Africa. After the war and until 1970, the Lurline returned to passenger service as one of Matson's four elegant liners nicknamed ``white ships'' because of their color. ``Before she set sail, you were let on board for bon voyage parties,'' Kyte said. `'There would be streamers flying and bands playing.'' Majestic hopes to gain permission not only to berth the ship and operate the hotel, but also to take the Lurline on periodic cruises. Kyte said he envisions chartering corporate events and other large gatherings on board. `We'd be no different than any other hotel in the city with mid-range prices,'' Kyte said.` But we'd be a passenger ship returned to its home city and its home pier.'' I remember all of this very well, because I worked in the maritime industry at the time. That article really fills you with hope, doesn't it? Well, here's the sad reality... Floating Hotel Hopes Go Down With the Ship Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, October 24, 2000 San Francisco -- An old ocean liner that developers were hoping to turn into a luxury floating hotel near Fisherman's Wharf has sunk off the African coast. `The dream is over,'' said San Francisco developer Tim McAteer.` It's gone. This is no Titanic, and we are not going to raise her from the bottom of the sea.'' The 68-year-old ship, an old Matson liner once known as the Lurline, sank Saturday off Cape Town, port officials in South Africa said. There was no immediate explanation for the sinking. The hotel plan, which was first floated last year, appeared doomed in June when developers were unable to get the $4 million to buy the ship. Last month, the ship left its Florida berth under tow, bound for the scrap yards of India. But McAteer insisted that the dream had not died. As late as 24 hours before the sinking, he was still holding meetings and trying to raise the funds to turn the ship around and have it towed to San Francisco. ``It was in the process of possibly happening,'' McAteer said, a phrase as ethereal as the Art Deco furnishings aboard the Lurline which, in its glory days after World War II, carried passengers back and forth from San Francisco to Hawaii and the South Seas. Lots of people were interested, said McAteer, but none of them wrote a check for $4 million. Over the summer, the ship's owner, Belfin A.G. Corp. of Houston, ran out of patience. `Everybody knew that if we bought the ship, the plan would work,'' McAteer said.` This was a doable project. We just couldn't do it.'' For months, backers of the hotel plan paid the $50,000 a month it took to keep the Lurline shipshape in its Tampa, Fla., berth. Last spring, the backers backed out. Meanwhile, the scrap value of the 19,000-ton ship increased to about $3.5 million. After the towlines were attached and the ship began its three-month cruise to oblivion, McAteer acknowledged that it became tougher and tougher to sell the project. `What it came down to was that someone had to write a check for a lot of money,'' he said.` No one did.'' If I remember right, there was a crash in steel prices while it was on the water- it was apparently sank to collect on insurance, which became more valuable than the steel. I think the lost opportunity here is incredibly tragic. So there's a cheery tale for the night.

Actually, that's not the truth about the Lurline...

The Lurline wasn't dead quite yet. Here's an article from the 6/9/1999 issue of the SF Chronicle:

Aloha Means Hello
Luxury liner Lurline may return to S.F. as hotel

Dan Levy, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 9, 1999

The Lurline, a storied luxury ocean liner that was a fixture on the San Francisco waterfront for decades, may return to the Embarcadero as a $45 million floating hotel and entertainment complex.

Under a plan unveiled yesterday at the San Francisco Port Commission, the 631-foot vessel, a former Matson Co. ``white ship'' that was famous for plying the seas to and from Hawaii, would be saved from the scrap heap and given new life at Pier 35 as a four-star hotel.

A Walnut Creek travel company called Majestic told port officials it would pay the cost of bringing the Lurline back to town from its current home at a Tampa, Fla., shipyard and renovating it in art deco style.

This was the most well- known passenger ship that sailed out of San Francisco,'' said Christopher Kyte, head of Majestic. We want to create 1938 on board, a real glam prewar look. It will be a true historic time capsule: porters in uniforms, masses of red roses in crystal bowls, silver place settings.''

The new Lurline would have 280 guest rooms, a restaurant, nightclub, movie theaters, an outdoor pool, a sauna, a spa and a maritime museum. Majestic says the renovation project would create about 300 union jobs in the Bay Area and bring $2 million in annual rent to the port.

Port officials, while cautioning that the proposal raises many legal and bureaucratic questions -- including whether it conforms with a 1990 voter- approved ban on waterfront hotels -- gave Majestic a positive initial response.

The pictures are wonderful, and everybody is very excited about the possibility,'' said commission President Denise McCarthy. But obviously, there are a lot of issues that have to be interpreted.''

The commission asked the city attorney's office to rule whether a floating Lurline would violate 1990's Proposition H.

Kyte said he is confident that the double-stacked vessel will be legally seen as a ship, not a hotel.

It's not a hotel, it's a ship. And it's not on land, but in the water,'' Kyte said. It's a fine point, but an important point.''

Union officials who testified at the hearing yesterday supported the Majestic plan.

The best part is that this would be a United States- flagged ship that would employ American workers,'' said Gunnar Lundberg, president of the Sailors' Union of the Pacific. It's a good project.''

The Lurline was christened in 1931 and put into service by the Matson Co. on the San Francisco, Honolulu and Sydney route. During World War II, the ship carried hundreds of thousands of troops to the Pacific theater, and was also used around North Africa.

After the war and until 1970, the Lurline returned to passenger service as one of Matson's four elegant liners nicknamed ``white ships'' because of their color.

``Before she set sail, you were let on board for bon voyage parties,'' Kyte said. `'There would be streamers flying and bands playing.''

Majestic hopes to gain permission not only to berth the ship and operate the hotel, but also to take the Lurline on periodic cruises. Kyte said he envisions chartering corporate events and other large gatherings on board.

We'd be no different than any other hotel in the city with mid-range prices,'' Kyte said. But we'd be a passenger ship returned to its home city and its home pier.''

I remember all of this very well, because I worked in the maritime industry at the time. That article really fills you with hope, doesn't it? Well, here's the sad reality...

Floating Hotel Hopes Go Down With the Ship

Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 24, 2000

San Francisco -- An old ocean liner that developers were hoping to turn into a luxury floating hotel near Fisherman's Wharf has sunk off the African coast.

The dream is over,'' said San Francisco developer Tim McAteer. It's gone. This is no Titanic, and we are not going to raise her from the bottom of the sea.''

The 68-year-old ship, an old Matson liner once known as the Lurline, sank Saturday off Cape Town, port officials in South Africa said. There was no immediate explanation for the sinking.

The hotel plan, which was first floated last year, appeared doomed in June when developers were unable to get the $4 million to buy the ship. Last month, the ship left its Florida berth under tow, bound for the scrap yards of India.

But McAteer insisted that the dream had not died. As late as 24 hours before the sinking, he was still holding meetings and trying to raise the funds to turn the ship around and have it towed to San Francisco.

``It was in the process of possibly happening,'' McAteer said, a phrase as ethereal as the Art Deco furnishings aboard the Lurline which, in its glory days after World War II, carried passengers back and forth from San Francisco to Hawaii and the South Seas.

Lots of people were interested, said McAteer, but none of them wrote a check for $4 million. Over the summer, the ship's owner, Belfin A.G. Corp. of Houston, ran out of patience.

Everybody knew that if we bought the ship, the plan would work,'' McAteer said. This was a doable project. We just couldn't do it.''

For months, backers of the hotel plan paid the $50,000 a month it took to keep the Lurline shipshape in its Tampa, Fla., berth. Last spring, the backers backed out. Meanwhile, the scrap value of the 19,000-ton ship increased to about $3.5 million.

After the towlines were attached and the ship began its three-month cruise to oblivion, McAteer acknowledged that it became tougher and tougher to sell the project.

What it came down to was that someone had to write a check for a lot of money,'' he said. No one did.''

If I remember right, there was a crash in steel prices while it was on the water- it was apparently sank to collect on insurance, which became more valuable than the steel. I think the lost opportunity here is incredibly tragic. So there's a cheery tale for the night.

Post #147296 by martiki on Wed, Mar 16, 2005 6:09 PM