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Dad Vail President Jim Hanna said that the 2010 Dad Vail regatta will be held in Philadelphia after all. Hanna met this morning with Mayor Nutter, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady and other city officials.
Mayor Nutter said he was thrilled by the turn-around. "It's always been our goal to continuously have the regatta in Philadelphia without interruption."
The Dad Vail saga began last month when organizers announced that they would move the 2010 event to Rumson, NJ, citing high city fees, loss of corporate sponsorships and a promised $250,000 from Rumson as the reasons.
The announcement angered Mayor Nutter, who argued that race organizers had never given the city an opportunity to work out a deal with Dad Vail. Nutter and Brady have both repeatedly called on organizers to reconsider. This week Brady released a statement questioning whether Dad Vail organizers could really raise the promised cash.
Officials said they would try to control city costs for the Dad Vail by working out a five year agreement. But Nutter said the details weren't all worked out yet.
Brady, who has vigorously championed the regatta's return, stressed the long history of the event locally. "Once we start losing our traditions we start losing our identity," he said.