As reported here, Queen Mary General Manager John Jenkins recently issued 30-day eviction notices to numerous tenant shops on board and near the ship. It appears that Queen Mary management is trying to consolidate all non-food and non-entertainment retail operations under a single umbrella company called Event Network.

Event Network coordinates and operates retail activities at numerous public locations and attractions around the country and has been in the business since 1998.

The City of Long Beach owns the ship and leases it to a company called Garrison Investments which, in turn, employs a company called Evolution Hospitality to manage day-to-day operations. Part of those daily operations (including retail sales) are now being sublet to Event Network.

Several owners and managers of the existing shops have now gone on record as being very surprised and unhappy about this development. It would appear that none of them have been given an opportunity to either re-negotiate their existing leases or sign on to become part of the Event Network family of vendors and, so, remain in operation past October 13 of this year.

I am as pro-small business as a person can be and it saddens me to see some of the existing shops go. My family, friends, and I have spent many pleasant hours browsing those shops and spending lots of money in them over several decades. Still, the Queen Mary is a business as well, and the people of the City of Long Beach own it. Long Beach taxpayers and their elected representatives have a right to expect the ship will be run efficiently and effectively in all respects.

In this context, if one thinks of the ship as a shopping center (albeit a very unique, iconic, and historical one) then it may begin to make more sense that the current managers are seeking to consolidate retail operations. Most shopping centers have property managers with central leasing offices which control which tenant applicants are able to lease space, which are not, and on what terms.

This, in essence, is all the Queen Mary management is doing: consolidating retail operations under one sub-management company which, in turn, will control the retail leases of the shops in question going forward. I’m not sure why the existing shops which received notices were not provided an opportunity to become a part of the new retail paradigm but apparently Event Network operates according to a specific business plan and, judging by the success of its other venues, they seem to know what they are doing.

My sincere hope is that the shops which have received eviction notices will be able to re-open in other area locations and be successful. I also hope that the new shops that open at the Queen Mary will prove a success and a benefit to the city, its residents, and to the many visitors from around the world which the ship receives each year.

One final note concerning boarding: All guests should be allowed to board the ship for free. The Queen Mary is a publicly-owned property and is registered on the List of National Historic Places. The city loses nothing by simply allowing people to walk on board and stroll the decks without paying a fee, especially since the vast majority of people who do so, spend a good deal of money on food, beverages, guided tours, hotel stays, weddings, shows, exhibits, special events, and other products, services, and amenities during their visits.

Long Beach is very fortunate to have such an amazing and unique piece of maritime and cultural history available so near. The operators should not nickel and dime guests simply for the opportunity to board, explore, and learn.