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 I asked a Council Question Monday night that could put the Convention and Visitors Bureau on a bit of a spot. I requested that the Bureau ask the City of Detroit for sponsorship money on behalf of the Via Italia Bicycle Race organizers as they prepare for the 50th annual running of their great event on the Sunday of the Labor Day weekend next year.
The Bureau has been handed the hot political potato of sorting out what special events and festivals City of Windsor taxpayers should support with sponsorship money. The issue came to a head earlier this year when the parks and recreaction department asked for forgiveness as opposed to permission (this tactic was recently repeated with the removal of the Memorial Park toboggan hill) to cancel the annual Buskers Festival in August.
It turned out that CAO
John Skorobohacz decided to shut down critical preparations for Buskers
because funding for it remained uncertain as City Council's 2007 budget
deliberations dragged on into May.
By the time Council was
informed that Buskers was in jeopardy in this fashion, it was too late
to book the acts and develop the organizational infrastructure that
would assure a credible festival that lived up to traditional standards.
Council, nursing a black
eye, vowed to make the 2008 Buskers bigger and better. Other festivals
jumped into the fray screaming "me too", including Epicure and the
Bluesfest. Epicure was saved at the last minute from City Hall ennui
with ironic sponsorship money from political enemies of Council, DRTP
and the Ambassador Bridge.
To get this issue out of
its hair, Council gave the task of developing a sponsorship policy to
the Bureau. This is the same Bueau that gave tens of thousands to
Westlemania in Detroit earlier this year. Gord Orr and his bureau crew
also organized the spending of $80,000, pushed through Council by Mayor
Eddie Francis on the final day of budget talks, to get Windsor involved
in the hijinks of the Detroit Grand Prix.
Most accounts I have
heard have been positive (with the exception of a secretive high-roller
cocktail party at the VU in Casino Windsor) regarding the exposure and
business benefits of the Grand Prix partnership for Windsor.
But lost in all the
hoopla was the 49th annual Tour di VIA Italia. Competing directly with
the Grand Prix events, attendance on Erie Street was down, and organzer
Michelle Scalfin desribed the task of acquiring corporate sponsorship
as "a nightmare."
Indeed, it seems perverse
and even mean-spirited that the city would dish out over half a million
to the Super Bowl, Grand Prix and Wrestlemania while letting Tour Di
VIA Italia wither on the vine. Last year, responding to pleas from
long-time race organziner Aldo Scalfin, Michelle's father, Councillor
Fulvio Valentinis and myself contributed $1,000 in Ward 3 Funds to help
him with a city debt (for public works staff delivering and taking away
street barricades) so that the race could go on in 2006.
Something just doesn't
equate in all of this. The Erie Street Race attracts 400 top-flight
racers from all over Canada, the United States, and even the world. The
city should be going all out to make the 50th annivesary event the best
ever, including promoting it in Detroit. Why not bring in Lance
Armstrong as a celebrity guest?
Mayor Eddie Francis
should call in a few markers on Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to get this
venerable Windsor event some sponsorship money and promotional
assistance from Detroit. Perhaps the two mayors could add to their
itineraries, over and above the $500-per-plate gala Grand Prix dinner,
and be on hand to start "Windsor's Race".
Organizers of Windsor
events work their fingers to the bone to promote this city and their
beloved festivals and provide enjoyment to citizens. There should be
more than a one-way flow of Windsor taxpayer money to Detroit in this
international marketing scheme. At this point, our event and festival
organizers have every right to ask the question:
"What are we, chopped liver?"
Readers have left 14 comments. No.1 Untitled
Mr. Halberstadt. You know the answer to that rhetorical question. Of course we are. We are all just whiny, irrelevant, toxic amoebaes.
We don't know anything but the city knows it all as if they were the Wizard of Oz. We all know what happened to that Wizard don't we? No.2 Untitled
Forget Kwame. Get Roger Penske to be involved.
You will then see Eddie throw a ton of sponsorship money at the event to help out his bestest buddy. No.3 Untitled
Alan,
We need to start supporting our local, home-grown activities
and festivals whether they are recreational or arts and cultural related.
This helps a community build its own brand identity, attract investors and grow economically. This work has to start in our community!
Cross-border partnerships are important, but a city has to build on its own culture before it supports activities in other cities or countries, for that matter.
I went to the via italia race this year, and I was disheartened to see the negative reporting that the
Windsor Star published after the fact.
The problems face us from all sides.
When are we all going to work together to build a Windsor
that we can all be proud of? Big changes need to happen before it's too late.
Look at the Capitol Theatre fiasco. Since its closure, there have been nearly 50 business' that have closed downtown.
Look at the crisis we have in the manufacturing sector.
We need change. Now more than ever its time to focus our energy on the people of this community and come up with ideas
that will work for the people.
We need to invest in Windsor in meaningful ways, for a
better quality of life across the board.
No.4 Volunteer
Tell the truth:
Bluesfest did not go to council for money, but to address a bureaucratic inequity and council agreed with Bluesfest.
Epicure did not go to council for money, but did benefit from Bluesfest's appearance at council.
It's outrageous that council has the "Bureau", who wouldn't know a tourist if it tripped over one, shaping criteria for city support. Put the "Bureau" funding into the sponsorship pot and let it vie for tourism dollars along with worthy events and then maybe we'd see some results. Save taxpayer's money, too.
No.5 Untitled
It's time we stop exporting people to Michigan on the taxpayer's dime. You are absolutely correct when you say the event people in Windsor work incredibly hard. When you do the numbers and see how much money has gone over the border that should have stayed here in Windsor- it can make a Windsorite cry. No.6 Untitled
It's apparent that people (Meredith) don't have a clue what a Tourist Bureau is supposed to do. Take some time to ask questions before making a ridiculous comment. That includes suggesting that Tourism Bureau's have a pot of money to donate to events or that the role of a CVB is to go out and secure funding or sponsorship for events. Why don't the event organizers go knocking on Kwame's door for sponsorship dollars if they feel their event is important enough to draw such attention? (answer: because you'll be laughed out of his office) Comparing a little bike race to a Grand Prix is silly. If the bike race was such a big deal, they would have sponsors like Firestone, Canadian Club, Pepsi, Nike, Patron, Target, Go Daddy, etc. lined up to give them money. The reality is that the SuperBowls and Wrestlemanias of the world can not be compared to minor local events. Where are the statistics to show that events like Buskers and Epicure draw tourists to the region? They might be important events to some people, but not Tourist draws. Instead of creating a motion to pass the buck to the CVB, perhaps Joanne Gignac could come up with a plan to deal with the real issue of city funding for local events. How about a committee of local stakeholders who could help council make an educated decision based on a specific qualification criteria? No.7 Untitled
The point being made, I believe, is that supporting Windsor First must be a priority. Does this mean not participating in Detroit events? Absolutely not. But if Detroit events take priority over home-grown events, what does that say?
A new moto: Windsor First. Feeding the gazelles is not limited to business. Grow and nuture Windsor events for unique home grown events. No.8 Untitled
The fifty year old "little bike race" will always remain as such without unqualified support from the City. Twenty years ago curling was an also-ran sport with little or no sponsorship and precious few hours on TV. Along came TSN, which needed content. Curling (as but one example) has now grown into a thriving sport. What would it do for the VIA Italia race if TSN or Sportsnet could be convinced to cover it. How about Food Network sending "Chef at Large" host Michael Smith to judge a competition at Epicure?
"Minor local event"? Take a look at the Halifax Buskers Festival. I was living in Halifax when this festival started 21 years ago. Today it is one of the biggest Buskers Festivals in the world. It is a major tourist draw that attracts significant corporate and government sponsorship. It didn't get that way by Halifax sponsoring events in Truro or Maine.
Superbowl was a once in twenty year opportunity worth participating in. WWE and Grand Prix are far different. I agree with Chris that the priority should be Windsor first when it comes to spending tax dollars on events. The commitments to WWE and Grand Prix were made with no public debate or input. They were presented as a fait accompli, coupled with the withdrawal of the Windsor Detroit Tunnel Corporation as the main sponsor of Epicure. That would be the Windsor owned and controlled Windsor Detroit Tunnel Corporation.
The riverfront has a "temporary" stage that has become a permanent fixture on the waterfront. I'd sooner see the $150,000 US invested in Windsor and it's infrastructure than Detroit.
You ask for statistics on tourist numbers for our local festivals, I'll ask for the same statistics on exactly what we're getting for our money investing in the WWE and Grand Prix. To date I've seen nothing but anecdotal evidence in support of spending this money.
I agree that Council should be handing the responsibility for event funding to the CVB. They should be drafting policies with input from all in the community. Guelph has a fanstastic model for event funding that returns money to the fund each year to be reinvested in future events. The criteria is comprehensive and the decision process is open, public and accountable.
http://guelph.ca/cityhall.cfm?subCatID=1357&smocid=1940 No.9 Untitled
. "The reality is that the SuperBowls and Wrestlemanias of the world can not be compared to minor local events. Where are the statistics to show that events like Buskers and Epicure draw tourists to the region?" --Anon 6.
You're right # 6, there is no comparison.
In fact, there are a plethora of statistics to show that these kinds of (local) events attract tourists to a region in a major way. There are also statistics to show that a diverse range of programming, recreational or cultural, actually provide for a more sustainable community and economy.
Just look to Richard Florida's book "Rise of the Creative Class", guest speaker at Windsor's recent economic summit.
It's not just about "art" but the whole picture.
In any event, it's not all about the same big box mind-set. In fact, niche markets go a long way on the local, national and international market.
Unfortunately, because we have not a Municipal government that is really forthcoming to invest, in a meaningful way,
in its Cultural Capital we don't reap the same benefits as other municipalities of the same size.
Without careful and continued investment in the creativity, diversity and skill base of your own people, you have nothing, and you are nowhere.
The people will go where the 'game' is, and where the choices are.
BTW: Statistics require studies (council knows this). If event organizers are forced to work in a vacuum, without many resources, without recognition or consideration, they'll give up, and when that happens we all lose.
Getting back to the big box mind-set. Can you really think of that time you related, on a meaningful level, with your father while watching a bunch of fat men roll around sweating in a dirty wrestling ring made out of foam?
Is this how we want to grow a community? With a morale that supports wrestlemania as somehow more valuable to a community then the people that actually live there?
MY GOODNESS!
"perhaps Joanne Gignac could come up with a plan to deal with the real issue of city funding for local events. How about a committee of local stakeholders who could help council make an educated decision based on a specific qualification criteria?"--anon # 6
I believe that Council has some of these basics in place.
Though I'm not sure they are events related. The criteria should be slightly more open, as well. We need doers!
Again, it doesn't make sense to have a bluesfest without a theatre. It doesn't make sense to have an epicure festival
when all of your restaurants downtown are closure or taking a 30 percent hit on their business because a vital part of the core has been shuttered for over six months. People are going to continue to leave. THings will continue to get worse.
Let's start at the basics and work to the top. Let's start in Windsor and come up with creative ideas together to support our local recreational and cultural events.
Aren't they in the same budget line in fact?
Don't we spend most of that money cutting down trees?
LOCAL FIRST! We can stll do great things if the will is there. No.10 Untitled
Bluesfest, and the other outdoor fests, and, a theatre space have nothing to do with each other. Festivals, by definition are outdoor events, and there's clearly a pent-up desire in Windsor especially for Bluesfest as the 40 -80 year old demographic meet on summer nights at the Riverfront Plaza and socialize, while watching award-winning Grammy, Juno, Rock n Roll Hall of Famers, and WC Handy award winners. Bluesfest is the real deal and after 13 years, it's always been odd to me that the organizers continue to "put up" with a make shift 2nd hand stage that was the original entrance to the interim casino (remember); one that is full of holes and, graffiti. Million dollar, world class performers with million dollar motorcoaches, come here folks, and it doesn’t put Windsor's best foot forward. Although it's a spectacular view, the infrastructure leaves much to be desired. Supposedly, it was supposed to be redone many years ago, but I understand that the Peace Beacon at the foot of Ouellette knocked the construction of the plaza site back to the bottom of the repair list.
Bus stations and Peace Beacons are not tourist destinations, but good festivals bring in economic impact with overnight stays to the hotels, restaurant visits for the participants and ,they add sizzle to the local scene, while depositing much needed tourist dollars into the cash registers.
Clearly the festival supporters continue to vote with their feet as they continue to attend all the summer events with gusto!
When the Casino renovations are completed, the festival site is going to look even more needy and desolate. Why there wasn't even a desire to paint the Windsor logo in the middle of the site this year.... tsk tsk. Go look at the peeling paint for yourself, from a hotel elevator in the Casino. It looks bad to any of our guests in the city.
I agree - Local First would further enrich this community. We need everyone working together to not only enhance what we still have, but to grow it. Art and culture is 2nd to manufacturing and technology as an economic driver in a region. Its quality of life that makes a society enriched. Let's spread the wealth and put ourselves on the map as a festival designation. It can be done but it needs more than an organizer- it needs the will of the CVB/City and business community to help in whatever way they can.
No.11 Untitled
Actually, our local culture and events do have everything
to do with one another. In fact, did bluesfest not use the
Capitol Theatre in past years for some of their events.
I guess this is besides the point.
As the topic is really related to supporting LOCAL events
as opposed to events outside of Windsor, we should probably concern ourselves with the whole idea of process and the perceived inequities in terms of cross-border funding as opposed to local funding. And, more specifically, the VIA ITALIA race, which after fifty years likely deserves municipal support.
We need theatre(s), we need bike races, we need festivals,
and bottom-line we need support for local culture.
Culture is what makes a community.
No.12 Untitled
Nope.Bluesfest has never used the Capitol for their events. But we, (Windsor) need that theatre open and sustaining itself as part of the downtown revitalization plans. Arts is what we need and lots of it. No.13 Untitled
At least the Eire st has race course has well maintained streets along the route. No.14 Untitled
well, at least Cinco de Mayo will be a HUGE event next year with all the mexicans sneaking into windsor. Call Corona...we're gonna need a sponsor! 
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