The original Showboat was destroyed in a fire in January 2000 while being renovated. After discussions among University and St. Paul entities—including St. Paul Parks and Recreation, the Riverfront Corporation of St. Paul, the College of Liberal Arts, the U’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, and the Padelford Packet Company—plans were drawn up for a new Showboat. At 175 feet long and 50 feet wide, it will seat 176 on the main deck with another 44 in the balcony. The new vessel will feature heating and air conditioning for year-round operation and may be rented when not in use by the University.

A Showboat Timeline
1899: The General John Newton, a 175-foot-long paddle wheeler, is commissioned. Over the years it serves as a maritime courthouse and is visited by at least four U.S. presidents.
1958: The University of Minnesota purchases the boat for $1 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and renames it the Minnesota Centennial Showboat in celebration of the state’s 100th year. The showboat is anchored on the Mississippi River on the University’s East Bank and opens with a production of Under the Gaslight.
1958–93: University drama students perform in 36 summer

An architect's rendering of the new Showboat by Timothy Graul Marine Design.

productions that draw more than 400,000 patrons.
1993: The Showboat, in need of major repairs, closes with Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.
1999: St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman announces plans to make a permanent home at Harriet Island Regional Park for the refurbished Showboat.
January 2000: Fire destroys the Centennial Showboat during its renovation.
December 2000: The University’s Board of Regents approves a plan to allow the Padelford Packet Company of St. Paul to rebuild the Showboat. Padelford agreed to build it at its expense and then sell it to the University for a guaranteed $2 million.
March 2001: Construction of the new Showboat begins in Mississippi.
June 2001: The Showboat’s hull and lower level are complete, and the vessel is launched from its dry dock in Greenville, Mississippi.
July 2001: The rest of the Showboat’s construction takes place on the water. This phase lasts approximately three and half months.
October 2001: The Showboat will begin its 1,040-mile journey home from Greenville to St. Paul. The Showboat will not have an engine and will be towed to St. Louis, where it will be greeted by alumni and University officials. There, Captain William Bowell, founder of the Padelford Packet Company, and U officials will climb aboard for the trip upriver.
November 2001: The Showboat will arrive in St. Paul
July 4, 2002: The Showboat season will open with a production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.