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Not All On Board For Salesforce's 'DreamBoat'

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) -- In preparation for next week's Dreamforce conference, Salesforce is renting a luxury cruise liner to serve as supplemental housing for the influx of 150,000 expected attendees.

The Celebrity X cruise liner, dubbed the 'DreamBoat' will dock at Pier 27 September 13th-18th functioning as a hotel--complete with dining, entertainment and events--for some 1,100 conference goers.

While the air-bn-sea seems to be a no-brainer solution to the conference housing crisis, many aren't thrilled with the prospect of prolonged pedestrian traffic along the waterfront. Light and noise pollution are also concerns among neighbors of the Embarcadero and Telegraph Hill.

A group of waterfront watchdogs, called the Telegraph Hill Dwellers has raised opposition, fearing the boat will infringe on 'Preserving the character and height limits on the Waterfront' as well as 'Protecting the Waterfront from inappropriate development.'

While the Dreamboat's residency will be temporary, members of the THD believe its presence will set a precedence for future events.

According to Salesforce, "We have worked with the SF Port Authority to make sure we comply with all relevant regulations, and that we are in accordance with San Francisco's Good Neighbor Policy. We also have an event hotline (415.298.1913) for the Pier 27 location to address any issues, and it will be available 24/7 throughout the entire time that the Dreamboat is docked."

According to SF Travel, 2014's conference raked in an estimated $226 million in total economic benefits.

Molly Martinez is a digital producer for CBS San Francisco. 

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