The Woodlands Water Taxis make a swing through the turning basin at The Woodlands Mall. Photo by David HopperThe Woodlands Township has approved a proposal for its convention and visitors bureau to take over The Woodlands Waterway water taxis and spend up to $200,000 in 2010 to refurbish boats and supplement operations costs.

In a 6-3 vote, with director Alex Sutton abstaining, the township approved a five-year plan for the future operations on the water taxis.

The board authorized the use of $150,000 to refurbish the six boat fleet and another $50,000 for operations in 2010. It also committed up to $100,000 annually thereafter to fund operations during the five-year contract.

“I feel very strongly that the water taxis are a vital component of The Woodlands Township, not just Town Center,” said Nelda Luce Blair, chairwoman of the township. “It is important that we give them a shot. The CVB (convention and visitor bureau) is determined not to make this a hole in the water.”

The plan was opposed by directors Peggy Hausman, Tom Campbell and Claude Hunter. Campbell said the water taxis should be privatized, and Hausman and Campbell objected to the use of taxpayer’s funds to operate a tourist attraction.

“I have heard a lot of executive committee support, but not a lot of public support,” Hunter said. “I suspect if you brought it to the voters, it would go down by a margin of nine to one or greater.”

The water taxis, which are owned by The Woodlands Development Co. and operated by The District, are operating at a $240,000 annual deficit.

The proposal by the Goodman Corp., a transportation consultant charged with studying the water taxis, said that the convention and visitors bureau would be better able to marketing and promote the taxis and to develop other program with them.

Under the proposal, The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau would own and manage the boats and negotiate a five year contract with The District to operate them. Barry Goodman of Goodman Corp., believes the boats could operate in the black beginning in 2011 by reducing hours and offering other options, like dinner cruises and special tours, during off hours.

The $200,000 in funds would come from $100,000 appropriated by the township in 2009 for water taxis and $100,000 in the 2010 convention bureau budget.

Goodman believes that the $150,000 budget to upgrade the taxi would help The Woodlands Township attract $450,000 in federal transit funds, which could be used to expand the Town Center trolley system to village centers in the community. Those funds would be able to purchase six new trolleys for the system, Goodman said.

But the proposed budget does not include operations costs for an expanded trolley system, said Hausman.

Don Norrell, president and general manager of the township, said it would take three to four months to complete agreements to transition the water taxi to the convention bureau and six to nine months to complete the renovation of the fleet.

The water taxis carry about 60,000 passengers annually and roughly 300,000 people since they were launched in 2005, Norrell said.

The Woodlands Water Taxis

The Woodlands Township approved a plan for The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau to own and operate The Woodlands Waterway water taxi. Following are key features of the proposed plan.
• The Woodlands Development Co would turn over ownership of the six boats at no cost.
• The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau would negotiate a five year contract with The District for operations of the boat.
• The township and its convention bureau would provide up to $150,000 in funds to refurbish the boats.
• The township and convention bureau would provide up to $50,000 in operation costs for the boats in 2010.
• The convention bureau would provide up to $100,000 a year thereafter for operations of the boats for the length of the contracts.
• Hours of operation would be reduced, and the boats also would be used for special programs, like dinner cruises or special tours.
Source: The Woodlands Township