PORTLAND, Maine — Love it or hate it, there was a massive yacht owned by a multibillionaire in Portland Harbor on Wednesday in what's the city's peak tourism season.
The Rising Sun, a 450-foot gigayacht owned by billionaire David Geffen, is the 20th largest yacht in the world, according to the Robb Report.
Tied to the docks of Portland's waterfront, tourists and locals passing by had mixed opinions of knowing such a wealthy boat owner was in town.
"What an excuse to burn gasoline. ... To me it seems borderline absurd," Tom Prito said, visiting from New Hampshire.
Sandy Barkhurst, from Coronado, California, said she is used to seeing yachts, but one this size is over the top.
"That's my personal opinion, and I'm growing concerned about our climate and our world," Barkhurst said.
According to the New York Times, Geffen's yacht puts out more than 16,000 tons of emissions every year.
Geffen is the cofounder of Dreamworks, the movie studio that created "Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda." Geffen also has produced music for Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits.
For people working in Portland's tourism industry, the Rising Sun has been a conversation starter.
"It's quite a draw, especially for locals coming down to look it over and ask questions," Richard Leeman, who works for Visit Portland, said.
Leeman said while the handful of people on the yacht won't increase numbers to tourism money, it is a sign of Portland's working waterfront.
"Portland is defined by its waterfront, and everyone wants to be a part of it. ... I think it's important that people see how active the waterfront is," Leeman said.
A harbormaster spokesperson in Bar Harbor confirmed Thursday that the Rising Sun was on its way there. All boats that want to stay in the harbor are required to reserve space ahead of time in order to anchor there. The vessel will not be able to dock, due to its size. He said there were no concerns about interference with other large boats, such as cruise ships or the CAT, but said it has been busy there.