JAMESTOWN – The Chautauqua Belle will be operating out of McCrea Point boat landing starting this spring.
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi made the announcement Monday at City Hall that the city signed a multi-year lease agreement with U.S. Steam Lines, Ltd. to dock the ship at the point.
Teresi said bringing a ship like the Belle back to Jamestown has an important historical connection to the Chadakoin River.
“At one point in time, the McCrea Point boat landing was home to more than 16 different steam ships operating on Chautauqua Lake in the 19th and early 20th Century,” said Teresi. “It is what gave the waterfront life originally, it gave life to this city, it gave life to the lake, and wasn’t just a form of recreation at the time but a serious mode of transportation.”
Teresi said the lease will run from May 1 to October 31 each year for the next five years, with an option for the company to renew for an additional five years.
U.S. Steam Lines will pay the city $250 for the first year of operations with ‘rent’ increasing $25 a year.
As part of the agreement, the city will install a 30-amp, 220-volt, three-phase electrical service to the dock. Teresi said U.S. Steam Lines will pay all electricity fees for their operation.
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