Hooray for Hollywood! Water Taxi service to launch in Hollywood, FL in 2011

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi will launch a new route to Hollywood this winter, connecting two of South Florida’s largest cities via the waterways, its parent company announced today.

WTA, which manages Water Taxis of Fort Lauderdale and Boston’s Best Cruises, will expand its service to the Hollywood Beach area from its 14 current stops in Fort Lauderdale on the Intracoastal Waterway and the New River. From its northernmost stop at the Il Lugano hotel near the Galt Ocean Mile, the current route turns out of the Intracoastal Waterway near the Port and down the New River as far as Esplanade Park. The new route will extend south along the Intracoastal Waterway and will service area resorts, restaurants and parks.

WTA principals Michael McGurl and Bill Walker have been working with the City of Hollywood and its Community Redevelopment Agency to connect the two cities. The proposed route would offer stops at multiple locations along the Hollywood Beach business district near Johnson Street, the hub for the Hollywood Trolley. From there visitors would be able to connect to any of the three trolley lines, enjoy the beach or walk along the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk.

“I think it’s everyone’s mission to make sure visitors have access to all that the City of Hollywood has to offer. This is an opportunity for new business from visitors that may not have had the means of transportation to get to Hollywood before,” said McGurl. In Fort Lauderdale, visitors would land at the Port Everglades/Convention Center and connect to the rest of the Water Taxi route or Fort Lauderdale’s Sun Trolley.

Residents and visitors are excited about the service, according to Hollywood Tourism Manager Judy Erickson. “Based on the amount of visitor requests we receive at our Welcome Center, it seems clear that the demand exists for a water taxi operation in Hollywood,” Erickson said.

Walker said, “We are looking at how we could include service to South Beach as well. This is a tremendous opportunity to develop a cohesive water transportation system for South Florida.”

About The Water Taxi

The Water Taxi is operated by Boston based Water Transportation Alternatives, Inc. (WTA) The Water Taxi services Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and South Beach. WTA also operates the MBTA Harbor Express Commuter Ferry Service; The New England Aquarium Whale Watch; Boston Harbor Islands Service; and the Salem Ferry out of Boston, MA. Its fleet of vessels is ADA accessible, and environmentally friendly.

The company’s headquarters are in Quincy, Massachusetts. Additional information may be found at www.bostonsbestcruises.com.

Boston’s Best Cruises…More Than Just A Boat Ride.