The Natchez Board of Aldermen on Tuesday agreed to solicit proposals from contractors on the costs of knocking down the Fry building. This is “very important for the Eola project,” Gibson said.
The former office building – which has been ridden with asbestos – is being demolished with the help of more than $1 million in state and federal cleanup funds for transforming the site into a parking lot. Plans for tearing down the 1950s-era building have been ongoing since 2021, when it was donated to the city.
Renovating the century-old Eola hotel – a Natchez landmark now an eyesore – is also tied to plans to accommodate riverboat passengers of American Cruise Lines. It’s building a $5.5 million dock to make Natchez a home port for passengers to board or unboard and stay here overnight.
ACL’s long-planned wharf on the Mississippi River in the historic Natchez Under-the-Hill district has been approved by the Mississippi Department of Archives & History and Natchez Preservation Commission. The NPC reviewed plans Wednesday evening to ensure the riverside structure’s architectural design suits the historic Silver Street area.
Construction of ACL’s Natchez dock could begin later this year, Gibson said, as the cruise company makes Natchez one of its three main mooring facilities on the lower Mississippi River along with New Orleans and Memphis. The Connecticut-based company is building another riverboat that’s expected to be christened here in 2028, according to the mayor.
Using the city’s Silver Street boat ramp, ACL has been bringing riverboats with tourists to Natchez since 2012. Its fleet of Mississippi River ships include American Melody, American Serenade, American Symphony, American Splendor and American Heritage. The company pays Natchez a per-passenger fee each time it docks in the city.
As the Eola hotel approaches its 100th anniversary being built in 1927, Gibson expressed hopes its private developers can restore and reopen it in time for the anticipated influx of ACL passengers staying overnight. While delayed by financial hurdles, plans have been made for the Eola to become a Marriot-affiliated hotel.
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