Fort Lauderdale’s Jungle Queen, the riverboat attraction and island dinner show that has ferried generations of locals and tourists along the city’s waterways, has officially changed hands to local hospitality player Bill Fuller. After nearly a century of family control, the operation is leaving Faber family stewardship and landing with the restaurateur known for reviving the Mai-Kai and co-owning Ball & Chain, placing one of the city’s best-known tourist draws in the orbit of a preservation-focused operator.
As reported by Community Newspapers, the sale follows 91 years of Faber family involvement. The attraction’s own history, outlined on the Jungle Queen site, tracks the business back to Captain Al Starts in 1935 and notes Earl Faber’s purchase in 1958, with Jerome Faber taking over in 1962. The island, the riverboat cruises, and the ticket booth at Bahia Mar have kept Jungle Queen firmly planted on the New River for decades.
Who Is Bill Fuller?
Fuller is best known in South Florida as the managing partner behind the Mai-Kai’s comeback and as a co-owner of Little Havana’s Ball & Chain, a combo that has put him on the map for ambitious, historic hospitality projects. Eater Miami highlighted Fuller’s stewardship of the Mai-Kai, noting his focus on keeping the original design and nightly performances intact. That track record is a big reason many see this Jungle Queen deal as a continuity move, not a quick flip.
Fuller’s Preservation Track Record
At the Mai-Kai, Fuller oversaw a major, multi-million-dollar restoration. CBS Miami reported the project came in at roughly $20 million and blended meticulous conservation work with needed modern upgrades. Local coverage credited his team with bringing in theme-park and preservation specialists to protect the show’s personality while finally tackling long-delayed infrastructure problems. That balance of nostalgia and nuts-and-bolts rebuilding is the model many residents expect him to bring aboard the Jungle Queen.
What This Means For The Riverfront
The Jungle Queen has long been woven into Fort Lauderdale’s civic life, serving as a sightseeing staple and a long-standing entry in the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest boat parade, according to Community Newspapers. The attraction’s materials list its embarkation point and box office at Bahia Mar, 801 Seabreeze Blvd., where guests can still check schedules and buy tickets. For now, the cruises and island shows continue as usual while the community watches to see how Fuller’s stewardship shapes this next chapter on the New River.
