The City of Rome is pleased to announce that the new Roman Holiday Riverboat currently in construction will be named after a loyal Roman due to a charitable donation by family members in memory of their father.

The new Roman Holiday will bear the name of Joel Sulzbacher, Jr. and will be dedicated with a plaque that will read, “A true friend of downtown and the rivers of Rome.” This honor is given as a result of a gift from Sulzbacher’s children, Villa Hizer and David Sulzbacher.

Joel Sulzbacher, Jr. passed away in November, 1983, but his legacy continues with his work downtown and in preserving the riverways through Rome. Sulzbacher was a fifth generation Roman and a graduate of Darlington School and Georgia Tech. He was the retired chairman of the board for the Rome Manufacturing Company and was president of the May Realty Company. Sulzbacher was also a World War II veteran, serving as a major in the Air Force. He served on the board of directors of the Rome Area Heritage Association, Home Federal Savings and Loan Association, Rome Boys Club, and the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Association and was an active member of the Downtown Development Authority and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce