NATCHEZ, Miss. — The Board of Aldermen continues to close the public out of its discussions about docking Viking cruises in Natchez at city-owned land on the Mississippi River.
After holding another closed-door meeting for this last Thursday, the six aldermen publicly voted with little discussion to allow Viking to lease city riverside property at the end of Silver Street once known as “Little Mexico.” However, details of the cruise line’s proposals for the Natchez Under-the-Hill docking facility must be ironed out in a lease to be negotiated later, said city attorney Bob Latham.
Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell, aldermen and Latham have been regularly meeting behind closed doors for the past year to discuss this. State law does allow government boards to discuss property deals out of the public eye. The city officials emerged from Thursday’s private board meeting — conducted as a teleconference during the coronavirus quarantine — to declare the Under-the-Hill land surplus property that can be leased to Viking for a docking facility.
While a formal lease of the city-owned tract is to be finalized in more details later this year, Latham said, Viking would not intrude on the existing Silver Street boat ramp where the Isle of Capri casino boat was docked before leaving in 2015.
Viking would be joining others — such as the American Queen Steamboat Co. and American Cruise Lines — to bring thousands of tourists to Natchez.
While Mississippi River cruise lines have suspended their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Viking last week did announce it still plans to begin riverboat runs in two years. The global cruise line on Thursday opened reservations to the public for its new Mississippi River cruises, which will launch in 2022. The company’s first U.S vessel — Viking Mississippi — will sail voyages between New Orleans and St. Paul, Minn.
One of its planned voyages, according to Viking, is a 15-day cruise that includes a stop to “enjoy Southern charm and beautifully preserved homes in Natchez.” Some of its planned Mississippi River cruises are already nearly or completely sold out, according to Viking.
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