In what sounds like material for a Saturday Night Live sketch, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost have purchased a decommissioned Staten Island ferry boat for $280,100, NBC News has confirmed.
The SNL duo (and Staten Island natives) partnered with New York real estate agent and comedy club co-founder Paul Italia to buy the boat at auction Wednesday. Italia told the Associated Press that the partners intend to convert the John F. Kennedy NYC Staten Island Ferry into a live entertainment space.
The 277-foot vessel was commissioned in 1965 and decommissioned last August due to mechanical issues. The JFK was auctioned by New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
“I love this idea,” New York Mayor Eric Adams tweeted about the purchase today. “What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life. Let us know how we can help and we’ll be there for the maiden voyage.”
Italia, co-owner and co-founder of the Manhattan restaurant and comedy club The Stand, told the Associated Press today that the conversion project will cost “millions of dollars” and is in the very early stages. “You have a great idea and you’re working on executing it and the first step is the acquisition of the boat, and I think that that’s the story right now,” he told the AP. “We were successful in acquiring the boat and making sure it didn’t go into the scrapyard like the last two.”
Live, from St. George Terminal!
Pete, @ColinJost: I love this idea. What a great way to give an NYC icon a second life. Let us know how we can help and we’ll be there for the maiden voyage. https://t.co/tT4wm3upVb
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 21, 2022