Pete Davidson Details "Extensive Plans" for the Ferry He Bought with Colin Jost
The Saturday Night Live alum is turning his nautical investment into an entertainment destination that may include a hotel.
The King of Staten Island is about to become the King of the Staten Island Ferry.
In January 2022, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost revealed they had bought a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry. When Davidson stopped by The Tonight Show on January 30 to talk starring in the new Dog Man movie, Jimmy Fallon asked Davidson for an update on their nautical investment.
"Initially they were going to turn it into scrap, and me and Colin were like, 'That sucks. We rode that ferry.' And so we were like, 'We should bid on it. At least try,'" Davidson recalled, as he explained how he came to be a part owner of an enormous, bright orange piece of New York history.
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Pete Davidson's Staten Island Ferry plans include a hotel and movie theater
"A lot of people joke about it, but we have a really extensive plan, and we're a lot closer than people seem to think," Davidson continued. "It's like four or five floors, and on each floor we're going to do something interesting. A hotel up top. Movie theater, an entertainment theater, some little shopping kiosks."
Davidson and Jost are part of a group of investors who bought the ferry, including The Stand comedy club owner Paul Italia, and architect Ron Castellano. Castellano spoke with Curbed in March 2024 about their plans for the floating entertainment destination.
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"I think right now, we have six bars and two venues operated separately or combined," Castellano told Curbed. "We have outdoor event space, we have restaurants — two restaurants. It’s a big boat, almost 300 feet long, 65,000 square feet. That’s one and a half times the size of Nine Orchard Hotel."
As for Davidson and Jost's roles in the design, Castellano confirmed, "They have input. They see everything."
"We have meetings as needed, sometimes twice a week, sometimes every three months. Right now, honestly, I’m trying to get the design work done as fast as possible," he added.
Davidson told Fallon the plans for the ferry are still coming along — though they aren't hitting the high seas just yet. That said, he had a message for his ferry haters.
"You know, it's only been two years and people are like, 'I guess it's dead,'" he told Fallon. "And it's like... We need like $100 million! Give us a second!"
"I talked to Colin last week, and we have tons of stuff going on with it, so. I'm so happy," Davidson continued. "But in the meantime, if you want to have a party on it, like, seriously, you can. It is available," he told The Tonight Show audience. Much like Tommy Hilfiger staged a runway show on it during Fashion Week in September 2024.
Consider our bags — and life jackets — packed!
