Local
General Jackson’s final Cumberland River cruise set for Dec. 15 as workers face layoffs
Opry Entertainment Group plans to retire the Nashville showboat after more than four decades, citing maintenance problems that disrupted its schedule. Employees were told of layoffs Oct. 15.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The General Jackson Showboat is scheduled to end operations Dec. 15, closing a more-than-40-year run on the Cumberland River and leaving dozens of employees facing layoffs.
Opry Entertainment Group, which operates the boat, said ongoing maintenance problems have affected its schedule and led the company to retire it. Staff members were informed of the layoffs Thursday, Oct. 15.
The announcement affects a family with deep ties to the showboat. Charley Woods said her father has captained the General Jackson for decades, and her mother performed in its early shows. Woods said losing the boat would mean the loss of a longstanding part of Nashville’s tourism identity. She also urged influential people and businesses to help preserve it, saying, “There’s integrity to be preserved here.”
Mechanical trouble had already interrupted the boat’s schedule this year. The General Jackson canceled its July 4 fireworks event after unexpected mechanical difficulties, leaving more than 1,200 ticket holders without the planned viewing experience. It resumed operations a couple of weeks later, but other problems followed.
The showboat’s closure will end a prominent riverfront attraction and eliminate jobs for its crew and other staff. No details were provided about the number of workers affected or whether a rescue effort is underway.