The city of Long Beach regained control of the Queen Mary Friday for the first time in four decades, with the previous operator surrendering leases for oversight of the vessel, which is in need of millions of dollars in urgent repair work.
Recent reports on the state of the vessel concluded that it could potentially sink absent an estimated $23 million in immediate repairs.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said the city plans to take swift action to restore the ship now that it has operational control of the vessel for the first time since 1978.
“For the first time in decades, Long Beach has full control of the Queen Mary,” Garcia said in a statement. “We will be fully engaged in the preservation of this historic landmark and are incredibly grateful for this opportunity.”