If you have any sense of Peoria history then you know that Peoria has always been a riverboat town. When the first riverboat arrived long ago within 5 years the population multiplied by 10 fold! After the Julia Bell Swain moved to the upper Mississippi the Spirit of Peoria took its place. For more than 30 years the Spirit of Peoria has been an icon for the city and a major tourist attraction for the region. Thousands of guests from all over the world have come to Peoria to ride on this wonderful boat adding millions of dollars to the local economy. It's difficult to imagine downtown Peoria without the Spirit.

The current owners have had a couple of difficult years due to the pandemic. And though they were not looking to sell when a generous offer came through it was hard to say no. The City of Peoria should find backers and match this offer to keep the Spirit of Peoria in Peoria. The City Council says they want to revitalize Peoria’s downtown area; well the Spirit of Peoria is the HEART of this river city! To respect its past and build on our future, we must keep the Spirit of Peoria where it belongs; IN PEORIA. On Tuesday Feb 22nd at 6:00pm City council will decide whether the boat stays in Peoria or leaves the state; Tell them that Peoria wants to Save the Spirit!