How return of Grand Princess Riverboat is making waves in downtown Lansing
Eric LacyLANSING — When the Grand Princess Riverboat returned last week to downtown Lansing for the first time in more than a decade, the response stunned Chris Chamberlain.
More than 400 people took rides along the Grand River — a total of four round trips — during the June 6 Dam Jam, a music festival that featured 15 Michigan bands.
That outpouring of support has Chamberlain, the riverboat's 31-year-old owner and captain, already thinking of new ways to engage people with the water this summer.
"There are some people who don't think this kind of investment should be made downtown," Chamberlain said. "But I don't think many people have been down there recently.
"We have a beautiful natural resources running through it."
Chamberlain, of Grand Ledge, and River Town Adventures' Paul Brogan have formed a partnership that aims to give people more downtown access to the river than ever before.
They're offering riverboat cruises several times a week, including lunch cruises during regular weekday business hours.
And they've hinted at more announcements coming this summer pertaining to more watercraft options.
"I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet," Chamberlain said laughing. "But I do have something in mind."
Life on the Grand in Chamberlain's blood.
His parents, John and Karla Chamberlain, built the Spirit of Lansing Riverboat in 1976 and once owned the Princess Laura, Michigan Princess and Grand Princess.
The Grand Princess first left Lansing after the Capital City Riverfest's 20-year run as a traditional Labor Day weekend event ended in the late 1990s.
The riverboat then returned briefly for the 2008 Common Ground Music Festival.
Chamberlain said he didn't consider bring it back to Lansing until he met Brogan and saw how popular River Town Adventure's canoe and kayak rentals are.
"It just seems different than it was 10 years ago," Chamberlain said. "Lansing is really doing a nice job promoting the downtown corridor, and people want to get out on the river and enjoy everything it has to offer.
"We want to help them do that.”
The Grand Princess, docked for several years in Grand Ledge, is now available in downtown Lansing for weddings, private parties and other special events.
It's also expected to have a presence at this month's Common Ground Musical Festival and next month during downtown's Fourth of July fireworks.
Feeling the flow
Brogan, a 37-year-old Lansing native, said he's hopeful the partnership between the Grand Princess and his canoe and kayak rental business will inspire others to invest in the river.
Chamberlain and Brogan envision a riverfront from REO Town to Old Town that includes improved docking systems for more watercraft usage and attractions that draw more foot traffic.
"We believe the momentum is definitely moving — or flowing — in the right direction," Brogan said.
Community leaders have raised about $500,000 to build Rotary Park, a new park stretching from the Lansing Center to the Shiawassee Street Bridge.
Construction is underway along the river and expected to be completed by the end of this summer.
Amenities will include a sandy beach and lighted forest near where the Grand Princess is currently docked.
Routes for rides
Chamberlain said water levels are suitable enough for the Grand Princess to travel at least one route for round-trip rides on a daily basis this summer.
The route lies between the Michigan Avenue bridge, east of Grand Avenue, to the Adado Riverfront Park footbridge, south of Saginaw Highway.
During last week's Dam Jam, water levels were low enough to allow the Grand Princess to clear the Michigan Avenue bridge and extend the route to Cherry Hill Park and back.
The Grand Princess hasn't traveled this week to Cherry Hill Park, less than a mile south of Michigan Avenue, because there hasn't been enough clearance to get it under the bridge.
However, as of Wednesday afternoon, water levels had dropped enough that the riverboat should be able to run a route from REO Town to Adado Park through the weekend, Brogan said.
Saturday soft opening
The Grand Princess and River Town Adventures will offer on Saturday three riverboat cruises that are each an hour long.
Cruises will take place at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and are expected to follow a round-trip route from Adado Park to REO Town.
Admission for each cruise is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Children ages 3 and under are free. Passengers are welcome to bring refreshments, including alcohol.
Tickets can only be purchased at River Town Adventures, 325 City Market Dr. For information, call 517-253-7523 or visit rivertownadventures.com.
Eric Lacy is a reporter for the Lansing State Journal. Contact him at 517-377-1206 or elacy@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLacy.
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Lansing riverboat history
A look at four riverboats dating back to the late 1970s that have offered rides along the Grand River in the Lansing region.
Spirit of Lansing - Built in 1976, the two-deck boat was owned by John and Karla Chamberlain and offered rides for several years. It operated out of Potter Park and took passengers downtown to Adado Riverfront Park.
Princess Laura - Due to the Spirit of Lansing's popularity, the Chamberlains built this two-deck boat in 1984. It was named after their daughter and held 110 passengers — twice as many as the Spirit of Lansing.
Michigan Princess - The three-deck boat first took sail in 1991. It operates out of Grand River Park in Lansing and is 110-by-44 feet. The boat can accommodate up to 300 passengers for a seated meal and 500 standing room.
Grand Princess - This boat was built in 2008 and is 75-by-15 feet, 6 inches. It can accommodate 120 for a meal and 149 for standing room. June 6 marked the boat's first rides in downtown Lansing in more than 11 years.