Luxury riverboat cruise line to start up in Jefferson Parish
28th June 2016 · 0 Comments
The French America Line inaugurated its operations on Friday at a ceremony in front of Gretna City Hall, promising to create dozens of jobs for low income aspirants in Louisiana and Mississippi. FAL’s new Riverboat, The Louisiane, will commence multi-night cruises up the Mississippi River this Autumn, and to staff the vessel, the cruise line promises to provide extensive hospitality training to its new employees. Moreover, the revenues derived from the Louisiane’s port fees have been earmarked to restore ferry service from Canal Street to Downtown Gretna — a key public transportation element that ended almost two years ago.
The French America Line, which offers premium tours along America’s waterways, announced the establishment of its corporate headquarters on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, and the creation of dozens of jobs in Louisiana on June 24, 2016. FAL operations began out of JEDCO’s Business Innovation Center in the Churchill Technology & Business Park earlier this year. Additionally, the City of Gretna’s ferry terminal will become the home port for FAL’s deluxe 150-passenger vessel, the Louisiane.
French America Line anticipates the creation of 30 new jobs shore-side here in Jefferson Parish, with an additional of 50 crew and personnel employed on the Louisiane. French America Line invested over $7.5 million into the community with an estimated economic impact of $58 million. French America Line offers five-to-ten- day cruises on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Red Rivers with stops at major U.S. cities along the way.
The Louisiane — formerly the Columbia Queen that sailed Oregon’s Columbia River—was purchased by French America Line owners Christopher Kyte, Ken Grigsby, Kevin Griffin, and Christopher Tidmore in 2015 with the intention of relocating it to Jefferson Parish.
The luxury riverboat is currently en route from Oregon to Gretna via the Panama Canal on a journey that will take a total of four weeks. In August, the Louisiane will arrive at the Gretna Ferry Landing—which will be rebranded by French America Line in the coming months. The terminal has been underutilized since the halt of regular ferry service to Gretna in 2013. Once in Jefferson Parish, the Louisiane will be refurbished by Bollinger Quick Repair based out of Harvey.
“The arrival of French America Line and the ‘Louisiane’ in Jefferson Parish this summer is a fulfillment of a three-year project to restore the region as a headquarters for a proudly American owned riverboat company operating deluxe voyages on America’s Waterways,” said Christopher Kyte, French America Line Chairman. “We are also delighted to be creating local jobs in Jefferson Parish along with the significant impact of local purchasing, everything from groceries to flowers to fuel. We are hugely grateful to the far-sighted leadership at JEDCO, the Mayor Belinda Constant and City Council of Gretna, and former President John Young—without any of whom this project would not have happened.”
“Perhaps even more importantly,” Kyte added in an interview with The Louisiana Weekly, “many of the on-board jobs we offer allow someone with a high school education to make a comfortable middle-class living wage with health coverage and benefits. At the same time, these applicants will receive training in the luxury hospitality market preparing them for even higher paying jobs in the future. We are hiring 90% of our employees in Louisiana and Mississippi, and will train them in art of elegant travel. We are an equal opportunity employer, and are committed to providing living wage employment to the young people of Louisiana and Mississippi, whatever their background.”
Former Jefferson Parish President John Young added, “When Christopher Kyte and Christopher Tidmore came to me over two years ago with the idea of home-porting the former Columbia Queen in Jefferson Parish, my Administration eagerly embraced the possibility. It had been a crucial priority throughout my years as Parish President to make the world aware of Jefferson’s natural and cultural resources, and, in doing so, draw tourists to our parish. Embarking passengers in Historic Downtown Gretna upon our greatest natural resource, the Mississippi River, is a fulfillment of that economic vision.”
A portion of the revenue generated from French America Line’s operations will be exclusively reserved for the restoration of permanent water transit between the Downtown Gretna and New Orleans’ Canal Street. For every passenger that boards the Louisiane, a “port fee” will be put into an escrow fund to help underwrite the future return of ferry service to Gretna. “This is a major economic development opportunity for the City of Gretna,” said Gretna Mayor Belinda Constant. “This project will bring quality jobs with benefits to our residents, and complements our vision to continue making Gretna a destination within the Greater New Orleans Region. Additionally, the project will support our recently released Gretna Downtown 2020 plan and serve as a driver for promoting our riverfront and future water-transit options.”
“We are excited to welcome French America Line,” said Jerry Bologna, JEDCO President & CEO. “Not only will French America Line bring the Gretna Ferry Landing back into use, but they will also hire and purchase supplies and commodities locally. We look forward to the increase in tourism this company will bring to the West Bank along with the direct and indirect impact French America Line will have on our community. JEDCO will remain a long-term partner to aid French America Line in its future successes.” JEDCO provided site selection and incentive assistance to the company while also interfacing with the City of Gretna to reach an agreement on the use of the dormant ferry terminal. JEDCO and Louisiana Economic Development also financed a portion of the project to aid in the vessel’s relocation from Oregon to Gretna.
“French America Line’s decision to locate in Jefferson Parish speaks volumes to our talented workforce, excellent infrastructure, and quality business climate,” noted Jefferson Parish President Michael S. Yenni. “This project marks a unique opportunity for Jefferson Parish to showcase its offerings to the rest of the world. As individuals travel to Jefferson Parish to embark on these riverboat tours, they will experience southern hospitality in quality hotels, excellent food in world-class restaurants, and a creative culture that can only be found in our community. We appreciate French America Line’s investment in our community and look forward to watching the company grow and thrive in Jefferson Parish.”
“The Mississippi River has long been a source of inspiration for artists, writers, and many more, and it is a vital part of our state’s culture and history,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards on Friday. “Today, it continues to inspire countless travelers from around the nation and across the globe, who take in our breathtaking landscape and rich culture while supporting our tourism industry and creating great opportunities for our people. We encourage everyone to visit our great state and share in its beauty, and we welcome French America Line and their mission to help us tell Louisiana’s story.”
Christopher Tidmore added, “Telling that story is the reason why we renamed the riverboat ‘Louisiane.’ Our region not only provided America with its singular indigenous music and literature, but quite literally, the Louisiana Purchase ‘made’ America. From the early French explorers to Louis & Clark, from Andrew Jackson to Louis Armstrong, our expert historians will tell the tale of America through the lens of Louisiana, and our included excursions will provide a beautiful and singular vision of the importance of the ports along the Mississippi that created the modern U.S.”
Inaugural sailings of the Louisiane begin in September.
This article originally published in the June 27, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
