‘Shoot the Hooch’ owner says business may close because of river safety concerns

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The owner of “Shoot the Hooch” says he may have to close because of safety concerns on the Chattahoochee River.

Bill Odrey said after 23 years, the National Park Service ordered them to move from Powers Island to another part of the river -- about 20 miles north near Duluth.

Since March, Odrey hasn’t put any customers in the water because of the conditions in that part of the river.

“I’m out of business financially now because we cannot put somebody in the river unsafely,” he said. “There’s fallen trees in the river, they have these dam releases that have eroded the riverbank.”

According to Odrey, the National Park Service also doesn’t have enough people to monitor the water.

“We’re supposed to be the guardians when the Park Service isn’t there,” he said. “This is the first time in 23 years Barbara and I have not been on a river with our guests.”

Odrey said his business will shut down if things don’t change.

“I’m not putting my grandkids in and my own family so I’m not putting anyone else in,” he said. “We’re taking a financial hardship with this because we have a lot of people dependent on us.”

Atlanta News First reached out to the National Park Service about Odrey’s safety concerns and claims of staff shortage and we will update this article when we receive a response.

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