Alcatraz Tour Company Loses $3 Million, Thanks to Government Shutdown

The Rock was hurt during the government shutdown.

The company that ferries tourists to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay lost $3 million while the former federal prison -- closed during the budget impasse in Washington -- was shut down, according to the San Francisco Examiner.

Tours to the legendary tourist attraction from Pier 33 resumed Thursday after President Barack Obama and Republican leaders in Congress announced a deal to allow the government to resume spending -- and allow workers like those at the National Park Service, which manages Alcatraz, to return to their jobs.

But that won't help restore the 100,000 tickets that had to be refunded or rescheduled by Alcatraz Cruises, which had to deal with angry customers and disappointed tourists from Oct. 1 until Thursday, the newspaper reported.

About 25 percent of the $3 million was supposed to be the government's, according to the newspaper.

The $30 tickets bring in $30 million of annual revenue to the tour company -- which sold 1,600 tickets on Thursday in the first hour of availability.

Wonder if the new tours will contain anything extra-special?