By Guy F. Smith
May 21, 2007

Alexandria (VA) Mayor William D. Euille April 10 joined representatives from the Peterson Companies, the Potomac Riverboar Company and Prince Georges County in Maryland to announce a unique water service.

The ambitious venture will link Alexandria, located on the Potomac River in the shadow of the nation’s capital, with National Harbor, now under construction across the Potomac in nearly Maryland. Expected to open in April 2008, National Harbor will be the largest convention resort on the East Coast of the United States.

Alexandria, a city of 128,283 just minutes from Washington (DC) and down the Potomac River, seeks to capitalize on the massive influx of tourists to the convention resort by launching the new riverboat service to ferry tourists across the river. Two new 99-passenger boats will eventually run the half-hour route between 10am and 10pm, providing 50 one-way daily trips between Alexandria’s marina and a new commercial pier at National Harbor.

Said Euille, “This new service will link one of the region’s premier historic sites with one of the East Coast’s most dynamic and vibrant destinations. This water taxi is our welcome mat to visitors to National Harbor.”

The new service is expected to transport as many as 5,000 people per day. The $2 billion National Harbor project now occupies 1,400 construction works 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

Demand from convention groups at this early stage has resulted in a boost of rooms under construction from 500 to 2,000. Some bookings go all the way out to 2016, said officials with Gaylord Hotels, whose Gaylord national Resort and Convention Center will form the centerpiece of the European'styled miniature city.

Alexandria’s waterfront, dotted with dozens of restaurants and a city hall that on Saturdays hosts one of the oldest farmer’s market in the US, is also reachable by the Washington metropolitan area’s metro service, part subway and part above ground.

It is also close to Mount Vernon, down river, the estate of George Washington, also expected to eventually connect with the new service.