Reopening Phil’s Landing restaurant will not be smooth sailing for potential new management.

Friday, January 21, 2000

Reopening Phil’s Landing restaurant will not be smooth sailing for potential new management. But, if an agreement is reached with the City of Ironton, residents might see new boat docking facilities and a family eatery before the boating season begins.

In September, Ironton resident Bob Johnson said he entered into a partial agreement with the city concerning docking facilities near Phil’s Landing.

Now that the restaurant has closed, Johnson said he has negotiated a purchase agreement with Cecil Cline, Phil’s Landing owner, and that he hopes to work with the city to reopen the restaurant and install a dock on the waterfront before area boaters hit the water this spring.

"Right now, we are working with the Corps of Engineers to get permits we need. And, there are still many details to be worked out with the city," Johnson said.

In working with the city, however, details could become very involved, city officials said.

At the Jan. 13 city council meeting, council voted to terminate the current lease agreement with Phil’s Landing management and owners.

"They ceased operations on their own and there are some financial matters, both of which put them in violation of the original lease agreement," city councilman Joe Black said. "There are some stipulations in the lease as to what services they are supposed to provide and they were not meeting some of these stipulations."

If Johnson does purchase the restaurant from Cline, a new agreement would have to be reached with the city for the facility that contains the restaurant.

Working out the details and getting the area back on track is Johnson’s main goal, he said.

"A person wants a nice place where they can dock and have services available to them," Johnson said. "It’s hard to have a 16-foot pleasure craft on the Ohio River and keep them there because it’s not like you’re on a cove – the conditions are different."

Johnon’s proposed docking facility would have free areas for boats to dock with stairs leading to the restaurant as well as custom, reserved spaces for other watercraft, he said.

"I’d rather have fewer spaces available for docking, which would free up spaces for larger boats," he said. "House boats need special services, like electricity, and we could provide each boat owner with exactly what they need. We can cater to the individual needs of each boater."

With coming improvements through Empowerment Zone grant funding and other grants, the riverfront area promises to be a growing attraction to residents and area boaters, he added.

"The area has a lot of potential, especially with the improvements (the city is) going to be making to the floodwall and the property. Eventually it’s going to be as nice as Harris Riverfront Park (in Huntington, W.Va.," he said. "The area has a lot of potential and if we can get things worked out, it’s going to be very nice –  a quality place for people to come and enjoy the river."