LONG BEACH, Calif. — The Queen Mary is so corroded that it’s at urgent risk of flooding or collapse, and the price for fixing the 1930s ocean liner could near $300 million, according to a survey done by experts.
It would likely take five years to rehab the ship, a tourist destination docked permanently in Long Beach Harbor south of Los Angeles, according to documents obtained by the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
During its heyday, the Queen Mary carried Hollywood celebrities, such as Bob Hope and Elizabeth Taylor, royalty and dignitaries, such as Winston Churchill. It also spent several years ferrying 765,000 Allied troops during World War II, when it was nicknamed the “Gray Ghost.”
But now, naval architects and marine engineers who compiled the survey warn that the vessel is probably “approaching the point of no return.”
The Queen Mary made Long Beach its permanent home in 1967. Now a floating hotel with shops, restaurants and event spaces, the ship attracts some 1.3 million visitors annually.
City officials said they are committed to preserving the historic asset and making sure it can safely remain open to the public.
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