LONG BEACH : Report Puts Price Tag on Keeping Queen Mary Open

Keeping the Queen Mary attraction open through the end of the year after its scheduled closure in September would cost the Port of Long Beach about $2.7 million, according to a consultant’s report released Wednesday.

If officials decide to close the hotel on the ship but keep the ship open for tours, the port would lose about $1.6 million, according to the city-funded report by Economic Research Associates.

Although the figures are lower than earlier estimates, which put the cost of maintaining the ship as high as $2 million a month, some officials say the tab is still too high. “It’s a very expensive place. I’m in favor of closing it down in September,” said Joel Friedland, president of the Long Beach Harbor Commission. Other options officials are considering for the valuable waterfront site include a cruise terminal, a theme park and an international marketplace.