Lt. Robert E. Lee riverboat to be auctioned; failed as floating restaurant in Kimmswick

FESTUS — The Lt. Robert E. Lee riverboat, which failed as a floating restaurant at Kimmswick in 2006, will be auctioned to the highest bidder on Dec. 19.

The boat, which lacks an engine, was towed to a secure storage facility on the Mississippi River south of downtown St. Louis in May 2007. The boat was towed after its owner, businessman Dan Francis of Imperial, failed to turn a profit in operating it as a restaurant at Kimmswick.
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I think it is a real shame that Kimmswick and Jefferson County sabotaged Mr. Francis in his effort to bring this to Kimmswick. I believe that this could have been a great thing for both Jefferson County and Kimmswick. I understand Kimmswicks desire to remain a historic town, however, I think the Robert E Lee could have fit that mold AND brought revenue to town.

nick venable wrote:FESTUS — The Lt. Robert E. Lee riverboat, which failed as a floating restaurant at Kimmswick in 2006, will be auctioned to the highest bidder on Dec. 19.

The boat, which lacks an engine, was towed to a secure storage facility on the Mississippi River south of downtown St. Louis in May 2007. The boat was towed after its owner, businessman Dan Francis of Imperial, failed to turn a profit in operating it as a restaurant at Kimmswick.
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I don't understand what you mean Nick. The Robert E. Lee was in Kimmswick and was run by Mr. Francis. It failed. How did Kimmswick have anything to do with it?

Kimmswick and Jefferson County fought him at every turn, and made it as difficult as possible. They did not want him there, feared he was going to turn it into a gambling boat.

The bottom line is that Mr. Francis bought the Robert E. Lee to Kimmswick and didn't even have the proper permits to do so at the time. When all that mess was taken care of he opened the boat as a restaurant. The restaurant failed and Kimmswick nor Jefferson County had anything to do with the failure of the restaurant. That was poor management on Mr. Francis's part.
Then Mr. Francis got into a lot of trouble because he didn't pay his taxes. That is not the fault of Kimmswick or Jefferson County but again poor management on the part of Mr. Francis.
Mr. Francis also owned the golf course in Arnold at one time and it was also a business that was failing.
I think Mr. Francis is a wheeler dealer who will soon have his fingers in something else.
He is very lucky he did not go to jail over all the taxes he owed.
LOL looks like we have different opinions of Mr. Francis

Yes, it seems we do. And yes, Mr. Francis is guilty of all those things. However, I still believe that a big reason his dealings in Kimmswick failed were that the deck (no pun intended) was stacked against him from the start. And I still maintain, it was a mistake for the people of Kimmswick to fight him, and to fight the casino

Hey Nick,
You know me and know I like to go to the casino on occasion and if a casino was in Kimmswick it would be much closer but the truth is that Kimmswick did not want a casino in their town and to be truthful I don't blame them. It is the right of the City of Kimmswick to not want a casino there.

Sure, it is the right of the city of Kimmswick. Still doesn't mean it wasnt a huge mistake on their part. I dont go to the casino often, but still I can see the opportunity they missed. The casino company would have kissed their collective a$$e$ and they could have achieved their professed goal of maintaining the historic value of Kimmmswick and drawn huge amounts of cash in for the merchants, and then been able to improve things. Personally, I have been to Kimmswick a few times, and frankly, it doesnt impress me. Historic? I find that a huge laugh. To me, it is nothing but a large flea market that could have been something.

KSDK -- A fixture on the St. Louis riverfront sold to the highest bidder today, ensuring that it will stay in St Louis.

The Robert E Lee spent 40 years on the Mississippi as a floating restaurant and downtown attraction.

It shutdown years ago and today the boat's owners decided it's time sell.

More than 200 bidders from up and down the Mississippi were interested.
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I heard on the news that a father and son from Il. bought the Robert E Lee at the auction for a mear 200,000.