ALBANY, NY - Albany has lost one of its most iconic tourist
attractions.
The final tour on Sunday was completely sold out days before
the scheduled tour. Many people on the final tour expressed sadness.
Fans of the tour Paul and Cindy Pearson say they have been
going on the tours once a year since it opened in 2004.
Paul says, "We enjoy going out on the river and the trolley
is the greatest way to see the Lights in the Park. So, we'll be sorry to see
that go if they can't get anybody locally to buy the trollies to keep going."
The ending of the duck tours also means 40 people are
losing their jobs.
Albany Aqua Ducks Tour Guide Tracy Tunny has been with the
company since it first opened. She called the closure "disappointing." She says
she has given tours to people from all over the world.
About 20,000 people ride the tours each year. The tours are approximately
90 minutes long and take visitors through historic districts on land before
splashing in the Hudson River for a view of the city's skyline.
After eight years, the Albany Aqua Ducks are going south. The duck boats were sold to a firm out-of-state.
Owner Bob Wolfgang says the short season combined with high insurance and
service costs made generating profits a challenge.
But Wolfgang says it has been a good run, and the company has fulfilled what
it set out to do originally. Wolfgang says, "We've touched 175,000 people on
our tours, and that's not a bad thing."
The three trolleys, a division of the Aqua Ducks, remain for
sale.
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