Utah Entrepreneur's $1M Cruise Ship Restoration Ends in Demolition

Chris Willson, a technology entrepreneur from Utah, spent over 15 years and $1 million restoring the historic cruise ship Aurora, originally built in 1955. After purchasing the derelict vessel on Craigslist in 2008, Willson faced numerous challenges, including a pollution issue caused by a nearby sunken tugboat that complicated his renovation efforts. Ultimately, he was forced to sell the ship in October 2023, stating that it was one of the hardest decisions of his life. Unfortunately, the ship began to sink soon after, leading to its demolition in 2024. Willson expressed deep regret over witnessing his hard work go to waste, revealing that he had hoped to turn the Aurora into a museum. The vessel, once a symbol of ambition, ended its journey as a pile of scrap, marking a poignant end to Willson's passion project.