Queen Mary Reopening
The Queen Mary has been a fixture in Long Beach since 1967. It fell into disrepair after years of neglect by private operators overseen by the city and was shuttered amid the pandemic in March 2020. The last operator, Urban Commons, filed for bankruptcy and in June, 2021, the lease for the Queen Mary was surrendered back to the City of Long Beach. Marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group reported that the Queen Mary needed $23 million in pressing work just to stay “viable.” Initial funding was secured and work began in early 2022. Starting on December 15, 2022, the city offered limited numbers of one hour guided tours of select areas of the Queen Mary‘s promenade deck, including a walk through the Promenade Shops, Observation Bar, Queen Salon and Royal Salon. More tours may be offered in the spring, but there is no set date for full reopening.
Long Beach, Los Angeles County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt