In the 70s, the Bob Kuban Band rocked the riverboat, packing in thousands on the dance floor on a typical Sunday night. His brother Larry captured the atmosphere in photos.
Kuban says, "Literally the boat was rocking. You get 4000 people doing shout for example, it's amazing."
For decades, the Admiral cruised the river as an excursion boat, the largest inland entertainment vessel in the world.
Eventually, it was parked, housing the President Casino. But when it was shuttered this summer, the boat's future became uncertain.
The gaming equipment is gone. But everything else is for sale, from dining tables to generators. The contents and the boat itself can be yours.
That price may be upwards of $1.5 million dollars, that's the suggested number on Ebay.
The owners, St. Louis Marine and Materials, just hope it won't be sold for scrap.
Virgil Straeter of Auction Associates is handling the auction. He says it would make a good entertainment venue or attraction again. But it could be used for anything.
Straeter says, "If you want to make a house out of it you could do that and you could have the whole clan come in there and nobody'd ever see each other. There's that much room in there. It's 365 feet long."
The only catch is that the hull needs a new skin. Also, the boat has to be moved by the end of the year.
The owner will help.
Straeter says, "They would assist in getting those arrangements made."
Members of the Bob Kuban Band are nostalgic. They say they'll be watching this auction closely.
Kuban says, "If you happen to read the paper on Monday that I hit the lottery, the first thing I'm going to do is buy that dang boat." You can can arrange for a private inspection of the boat if you like. The online auction will be November 10th at noon. For more information visit: auction-associates.net.
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