Historic Showboat Majestic Moored Near Manchester to Boost Tourism
The Showboat Majestic, the nation’s last floating theater built in 1923, completed a 16-hour tow from Cincinnati and is now moored on the Ohio River along U.S. 52 west of Manchester. Owners Joe and Cortnee Brumley plan to stage live performances in the 219-seat venue and partner with nearby Moyer Winery for food and wine service, a move organizers position as a tourism draw for Adams County after years of planning.
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The Showboat Majestic arrived this week on the Ohio River, coming to rest along U.S. 52 west of Manchester after a 16-hour tow from Cincinnati. The 150-foot vessel, 42 feet at its widest point and built in 1923, is described as the nation’s last floating theater. Its relocation to Adams County completes a long-planned effort to relocate the historic vessel to the county’s riverfront.
Owners Joe and Cortnee Brumley intend to reopen the Majestic as a functioning performance space. The boat’s 219-seat auditorium will host live shows, and the Brumleys plan to coordinate food and wine service with nearby Moyer Winery, creating a combined cultural and culinary experience aimed at residents and visitors in the region.
For a rural county like Adams, the arrival of a singular attraction carries measurable economic implications. The Majestic adds a fixed-capacity venue to the local entertainment inventory; at full capacity the theater can serve 219 patrons per performance, creating repeated opportunities for downtown and riverfront spending. Beyond ticket revenue, ancillary spending on dining, lodging, fuel and retail is likely to flow to nearby businesses when events are scheduled. The planned partnership with Moyer Winery ties that spending directly to an established regional producer, potentially extending visitor stays and increasing per-visit expenditures.
The move also taps into broader trends in heritage and experiential tourism. Repurposing a nearly century-old vessel for live entertainment aligns with strategies other communities have used to activate riverfronts and leverage cultural assets to attract visitors. For Adams County, which has sought new ways to diversify its economic base, the Majestic could become a niche attraction that draws audiences from Cincinnati and other Ohio River communities, as evidenced by the vessel’s origin city.
Local logistics and policy considerations will shape how much economic benefit the boat ultimately delivers. The relocation followed years of planning to bring the vessel to Adams County, indicating coordination among the owners, river authorities and local stakeholders. Moving forward, county officials and business owners will need to address access, parking, safety and event permitting to support regular performances without disrupting local traffic along U.S. 52. Long-term preservation and maintenance of a wooden vessel from 1923 will also require ongoing investment and oversight.
The Majestic’s presence represents both cultural preservation and an economic experiment for Manchester and surrounding communities. If the Brumleys are able to mount a steady schedule of performances and integrate the venue with local wineries, restaurants and lodging, the showboat could become a durable contributor to the county’s visitor economy. For residents, the arrival offers a new entertainment option close to home and a visible symbol of efforts to leverage historic assets for community development.