The Brief
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Milwaukee County launched an auction for the abandoned boat “Deep Thought.”
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The county hoped to recoup $20,000 of the vessel’s removal costs.
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With the auction nearly closed, bids have fallen far short of expectations.
MILWAUKEE – If you thought the saga of “Deep Thought” was over, think again.
Milwaukee County launched an auction for the infamous abandoned boat last week in hopes of recouping some of the money spent on its removal, but the bidding has not drawn nearly as much interest as the boat itself once did.
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‘Memory in Milwaukee’
The backstory
It was a moment that made Milwaukee history. Deep Thought spent seven months abandoned at the lakefront between Bradford and McKinley beaches until a towing crew finally freed it in May.
“It’s good that it’s gone, but at the same time it’s part of a memory in Milwaukee,” said Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman, chair of the Milwaukee County Parks and Culture Committee.
Auction coming up short
By the numbers
The county hoped to raise around $20,000 to recover some costs of the boat’s removal. Leaders hoped the insane excitement that surrounded the vessel would carry over to the auction, only to see those hopes sink.
“Unless some miracle happens, we are at $1,125 – far smaller than we ever expected,” Wasserman said.
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Despite slow bidding, the county is still sticking with its plan to sell the 75,000-pound boat (in full size) hoping someone will come along with a higher bid to give Deep Thought a second life.
Removal costs
What’s next
Wasserman said it cost Milwaukee County $50,000 to finally free the boat. Some donations covered $30,000 of that, but as for the remaining balance?
“I hate saying it, but taxpayers are going to have to pay this bill,” he said. “I got senior centers that are falling apart, so $20,000 – it does make a difference.”
Why not stick the boat’s owners with the bill? Wasserman said Milwaukee County’s attorney decided the legal costs to go after the owners would cost even more money.
It’s now up to the bidders until Tuesday, when the auction closes.
“We want to to sell it as is, and the buyer can do whatever they want. So if the buyer gets this, they could chop it up, they could sell it, they pay their costs,” said Wasserman.
The Source
FOX6 News interviewed Wasserman and referenced prior coverage related to the boat, its removal and the auction.
