Anoka officials have found a riverboat owner interested in docking a paddlewheeler at City Hall next spring for a season of Mississippi River cruises.

The City Council voted 4-0 Monday to approve a general lease agreement with SkipperLiner Industries, a La Crosse, Wis., boat maker and operator.

Under the proposed agreement, the company would lease dock space from the city near the existing city dock on the Rum River. Details must be negotiated before a lease is signed.

SkipperLiner officials "are very enthusiastic about the idea and believe it is workable," said Council Member Phil Rice, who becomes mayor in January. "They would build a dock by City Hall. This is the beginning of a lot of work to make it a reality."

The firm would like to run riverboat cruises from Anoka, said SkipperLiner executive Dan Nelson. "We started talks a few weeks ago," he said. "We like the people and the route. It is a very scenic river."

SkipperLiner also built the Minneapolis Queen that operates on the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. A similar 150-seat paddlewheeler with a restaurant and bar would be used in Anoka, Nelson said. The $1.6 million riverboat, which began cruising in June in La Crosse, would offer dinner or sightseeing cruises, and can cater private parties or weddings.

Nelson said he'd like to be on the river by May 1, but the lease needs to be finalized soon to do that. Many issues remain to be resolved, including lease fees and dock rights. Nelson also said he wanted to ensure the river is deep enough for a five- or six-month cruising season. He said the boat has a 3.5-foot draft when loaded.

Anoka officials believe the river is deep enough, because they paid for a giant backhoe in November to dredge a 4-foot-deep channel that runs 700 feet downstream from city docks. Rice said the widened 40-foot channel will allow the paddlewheeler to travel about a half-mile down the Rum to the Mississippi. From there it can cruise several miles downriver to the Coon Rapids Dam or upstream above the Anoka-Champlin Bridge about a mile until the river becomes too shallow, Rice said.

Council Member Jeff Weaver said he is thrilled at the riverboat idea. He said the company asked about renting ticket office space by the docks in the lower level of City Hall.

If a lease is signed, Nelson said he wants to truck his new paddlewheeler, the La Crosse Queen, to downtown Anoka this winter and set it up for people to see, tour and plan outings. Then he would rechristen the riverboat with Anoka in the name.

Jim Adams • 612-673-7658