Once Again, Tide’s Change For The Queen Mary

During the past half-century the Queen Mary has changed hands between owners and or operators more than a half-dozen times. Today, like many other hotels worldwide, it suffers the economic pains the pandemic has brought on with a sharp decline in demand for hospitality services. Making things worse for the floating hotel, on Jan. 20, Eagle Hospitality Trust, a real estate investment trust which operates the Queen Mary announced it is seeking Chapter 11 protection. 

The Trust, created in 2019 by Urban Commons to operate the Queen Mary, owns a 66-year lease to operate the ship and rights to develop the 65 acres around it. 

The City of Long Beach, which owns the Queen Mary, has always intended for the ship to be the centerpiece for events and leisure in the city. Until recently, the ship was the site for food festivals like the West Coast BBQ Classic and the Delicious Chili & Brewfest. In 2017, renderings of the Queen Mary Island entertainment complex revealed plans for a site full of stores, restaurants, sports venues and entertainment facilities. Queen Mary has also been the site for seasonal events that Southern Californians have come to look forward to such as the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor for Halloween and Chill for the winter holiday season.           

Even while hosting such major regional events, the Queen Mary continued to be a destination for both tourists and locals eager to see the famed art deco ocean liner. Featuring restaurants, a museum and a hotel, the ship was intended to serve as a tourist attraction. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation has accepted Queen Mary as part of the Historic Hotels of America. 

Though the former Cunard ocean liner has become a strong draw as a destination spot, trouble was starting to brew even before the pandemic hit.

In October 2019, the City of Long Beach warned Urban Commons that the company was failing to uphold its commitment to maintain and repair Queen Mary and was in danger of defaulting on its 66-year lease agreement. Urban Commons responded with an updated plan for repairs. 

In December 2019, the city announced a review of the finances of Urban Commons to determine whether the City of Long Beach had received all revenues owed.

In a recent statement, the City of Long Beach said it will request information from Eagle Hospitality Trust to understand their immediate operational plans and will take appropriate legal steps to ensure the city and the Queen Mary are protected. 

Lastly, the city manager and City Council will schedule an open discussion about Queen Mary in February to review the situation, future plans, and requirements that Eagle Hospitality has to the city under the master lease.

The Queen Mary has been closed to public operations due to the pandemic since May 7,

2020.

Now, the question is, will the 85-year-old vessel survive the pandemic.