Race to save famous cycling championship starts Friday
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Race to save famous cycling championship starts Friday
It’s Congressman Bob Brady to the rescue.
The Congressman will be hosting a series of meetings Friday in an effort to ensure that there’s a Philadelphia International Cycling Championship this year, said spokesman Ken Smukler.
Soon after David Chauner, founder of the famous annual event, announced that there would be no 2013 race due to a loss of sponsors and rising city costs, Brady immediately jumped into action.
Chauner, of Pro Cycling Tour, said he owes the city over $300,000 for last year’s race. It’s not clear how that debt will be paid for. Chauner said his lawyer, former City Councilman Daniel P. McElhatton, is handling that matter.
“Our one and only interest is to see this event restored to its glory years,” said Chauner. “We want to do it right or not at all.”
Smukler said Brady wants to guage the political and private support for a 2013 race and review the logistics. The clock is ticking though, as a plan would need to be formulated in time to get the event onto the national cycling calendar.
Tune into PhillyClout tomorrow for an update.
This scumbag Chauner is trying to hold the city hostage for the 300k. Don't have it and call his bluff. If he can't pay last year then he can't pay this year.— krautmef1- If Bob Brady thinks he can get corporate sponsorship to come up with last year's $300K, plus this year's cost without a name sponsor, have at it. Perhaps the business owners in Manayunk would kick in to defray the cost, since they benefit the most.— phillygwm
- This race brings money in tax dollars to the city. The city should not charge for it.— anti-tax
- After the city dropped it's pants and bent over to keep Comcast in Philadelphia with the tax welfare they were blackmailed for, why not Comcast as a sponsor? I am sure there are MANY ways Comcast could make money on this event and at the same time show gratitude to the city that gave them the tax breaks.— big.minghia
- How much does the city receive from the multi cultural celebration known as"GreekWeek". My gues is zero. $300k paid to the city is like money into a rat hole. My suggestion is that the cycling tour move on to another venue. Leave Philly in the rear view mirror.— BillMcG
- The race is unnecessary since Manayunk white trash and frat dudes never need an excuse to drink in public.— SithLordRizzoLegalizeIt69
A deadbeat insolvent bank backs out of a cultural event that is part of the city's traditions? I hope they pull every penny out of every bank and use credit unions and mutual corporations and not these thieving banks.- @Fernando08. Who is the deadbeat bank that backed out? TD had a contract that they honored which ran out last year. They didn't renew, nor did they ever hint that they might. What are you talking about?— ShawnMcK
- Is this the year of the "Bikers".— TheShadowKnows
- Now every scumbag group that wants a parade, festival or event will site the forgiving of the debt of the bike race for the reason they cannot pay for their obligation to the city for their event. Bad move.— Wildman Bill
- "Free Cheese" from Congressman Brady. 16.5 trillion dollar National Debt and Bob Brady worries about a bike race.— tlee
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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