'Spirit of Peoria' could leave River City if pending sale goes through - HOI ABC

PEORIA (Heart of Illinois ABC) - If a pending sale goes through, the ‘Spirit of Peoria’ could paddle away from the River City for good.

Multiple sources tell Heart of Illinois ABC an unnamed buyer has agreed to buy the riverboat, which has become a staple on Peoria’s riverfront for Illinois-natives and travelers alike.

Barry Cloyd has performed thousands of shows on the Spirit of Peoria over the past 22 years. He says it might be the nation’s only surviving diesel-powered paddle wheel.

Heart of Illinois ABC: “What does the city lose? What does the community lose if this riverboat goes?”

Barry Cloyd: “Oh I think a great deal of their ability to have a deep connection to this place.”

Cloyd says the boat celebrates the best parts of Central Illinois and Peoria’s heyday as a major riverboat stop along the Illinois River.

“There is such an incredible history in this place,” Cloyd said. “One of the ways we can continue to let the world know about it is by people coming from all over the world to ride that riverboat right here, and they have done that for many years.”

The City of Peoria has the first right of refusal to match any offer within a 90-day window.

“Whether people enjoy it every year, or haven’t for years, it’s come to be part of our identity, particularly on the riverfront,” Discover Peoria President JD Dalfonso said.

City officials tell us the riverboat will be a topic of discussion at upcoming city council meetings. Until then, the fate of this Peoria tradition hangs in the balance.

“It is literally a part of the spirit of Peoria,” Cloyd said. “It’s not just a name on the back of a big boat. It carries a lot more than that.”

Copyright 2022 Heart of Illinois ABC. All rights reserved.

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'Spirit of Peoria' could leave River City if pending sale goes through - HOI ABC
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