After ceasing operations of the Waterway Cruisers earlier this year, The Woodlands Township announced it is looking into new options for transit along The Woodlands Waterway.

Visit The Woodlands President Nick Wolda said The Woodlands Township has sent out a request for interest, or RFI, proposal to gather interest from companies to operate new water transit vessels.

Wolda said Visit The Woodlands, previously known as The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau, is looking into options that will extend the existing route and provide travel along the waterway’s lower canals, which would include areas such as Lake Woodlands and Hughes Landing, according to the RFI.

“Right now we’re actually talking with some people around the country about what new style of boat could we have,” Wolda said during April 25 board of directors meeting. “So we’re soliciting input on a new style of boat [and] a new type of operations, not only on the upper canal—where they are right now—but on the lower canal [as well].”

Responses to the RFI are due by July 31 and include criteria on what type of vessel will be used, a business plan and what financial benefit they will provide to Visit The Woodlands.

Boat service began in The Woodlands in 2004 and continued through mid-2017, according to the township. In September it was discovered the boats were damaged during Hurricane Harvey.

While the township has previously contracted with companies to operate the boats, the vessels are owned by the township.

In January, Visit The Woodlands canceled its contract with Waterway Events LLC, the latest company operating the cruisers.

“They really are in a state now where it would take too much money to restore [the boats],” Wolda said. “So we’re going through a process right now [to determine] what is the value, what are we going to do with those boats.”

In March the township also submitted a request for qualifications proposal to find companies willing to buy or remove the boats from the waterway.

The proposal expired in mid-April, and Wolda said the township will have an update on what will be done with the existing cruisers during its May board of directors meetings.