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ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff photographer

Rowers from Florida's Barry University at Dad Vail last May. Organizers are pondering a move to N.J. because of costs here.

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READER FEEDBACK

Costs lead Dad Vail to weigh move to N.J.

By ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH
Philadelphia Daily News

sbarned-smith@phillynews.com 215-854-5905

Thousands of rowers descend on the banks of the Schuylkill every year to participate in the Dad Vail Regatta - the country's largest college regatta, which has been held in Philadelphia since 1953.

But in 2010, rowers might find themselves competing in Rumson, N.J., on the Navesink River.

Increased operating costs and the weak economy's impact on the regatta's corporate sponsors mean that last May's regatta may have been its last in Philadelphia.

"The regatta, due to several unforeseeable contributing factors, is facing discontinuation as a Philadelphia-based event," warned a Nov. 2 letter from the Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee (DVROC) to Mayor Nutter, Gov. Rendell and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

DVROC Chairman Jack Galloway declined to discuss the letter because it was supposed to be confidential.

"We're really trying to allow the dialogue with the city to take place," he said. Calls by the Daily News to several other DVROC officers were not returned.

The cost of operating the regatta has more than doubled over the last five years, in particular due to payments to various Philadelphia city departments.

DVROC President Jim Hanna had alluded to the difficult financial situation in a statement prepared for the media before this year's race.

"This year will be different from other years because of the record-setting recession we find ourselves in, the fact that we are a nonprofit and that we operate within the business climate of the city of Philadelphia."

The situation became more clear with the Nov. 2 letter.

"During this time, Dad Vail funds disbursed and contributed to Philadelphia amount to over $250,000," according to the letter.

Corporate contributions to the event had fallen by more than 60 percent, according to the letter.

"Realistically, without an infusion of new, reliable, sustainable funds now, for the 2010 regatta . . . Dad Vail will not have the resources necessary to stage a 2011 edition of the regatta . . ." the letter said, while suggesting a "reduction and capping" of city costs.

But because organizers believed a cost-reduction to be "unlikely," it had begun "evaluating alternative, less-costly venues for staging the event."

A source said that backers from Rumson have already delivered a check for $100,000 to regatta organizers to show their interest in moving the event.

"I'm not going to confirm or deny that," Galloway said, regarding the Rumson check.

City Representative Melanie Johnson said, "That's the first I've heard of that," speaking of the Rumson offer, adding that city officials would be meeting with the regatta's organizers later this week.

"We moved as quickly as possible to set up a meeting. . . . We are going to meet with them Friday about the memo, and we'll go from there," she said.

Attempts to reach Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl and other officials were not successful.

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Comments

Posted 06:57 AM, 11/10/2009

bill_from_media

the philadlephia course is crooked anyway

Posted 07:01 AM, 11/10/2009

NickFromGermantown

It would be disgraceful to let this go. Whatever it takes to make it stay in Philadelphia, make it happen!

Posted 07:30 AM, 11/10/2009

absherlock

The city shouldn't be making money off the regatta but it also shouldn't be underwriting it (at least not when cutting essential services). If $250,000 is what it costs to reimburse the city for the services provided (police, trash, etc.), then that's what it costs and if the organizers feel the need to move the event to cut costs, so be it.

Posted 07:30 AM, 11/10/2009

dannmer

If this event moves to New Jersey, that would leave Philadelphia with only 11 regattas scheduled for the year. Lets close some libraries so that we can have 12 regattas.

Posted 07:47 AM, 11/10/2009

Morty Seinfeld

I think the regatta is a great way to introduce the city to some young people who may only know Philly as the Santa Clause snowball place. Wtf is Rumson anyway?

Posted 07:54 AM, 11/10/2009

aNutterInDgutter

Costs continue to increase and it is more difficult for sponsors to continue to provide more funds for these events. It's a money issue across the board. It is obviously cheaper in Camden. It would be a shame to lose it. It wouldn't be the same.

Posted 08:12 AM, 11/10/2009

Paul B

Another alternative would be to reboot the whole Dad Vail as a kind of old school meets X-games event: stage it on the Delaware. have the rowers actually push it to row across the river for a change. First one to the battleship NJ wins. Or call it the Casinos Dad Vail & run it on the Philly side between the 2 proposed sites.

Posted 08:22 AM, 11/10/2009

g$ is an idiot

Nick, you are correct. The Vail is a Philadelphia institution. Has been and always will be. Just another event that politics have to snake its way into. What does the Mayor of Philadelphia or Rumson (WTF!) have to do with an 8 or 4 rowing down the river! Do what needs to be done to keep this in the city.

Posted 08:23 AM, 11/10/2009

Nick_from_Lansdowne

How about we move the Penn relays to Princeton while we're at it. Whatever it takes they have to keep Vails in Philly it's where it belongs.

Posted 08:27 AM, 11/10/2009

Nickawampus Leroy

I hear the Penn Relays is considering a move to the new multi-purpose stadium being built in Chester.

Posted 08:29 AM, 11/10/2009

catnameddomino

Absherlock - don't you think that the city profits from Dad Vail despite whatever costs they have to put up for cops, etc.? Thousands of rowers and their families come into the city for a few days filling up hotels, eating at restaurants, etc. If the city refuses to help out, this will just be another example of Nutter's shortsightedness as he wants to cut costs without ever really considering how to increase revenue.

Posted 08:41 AM, 11/10/2009

Earl J

Netter is penny wise, dollar foolish. These events bring money and positive exposure to the city. How about laying all the forest of dead wood in city goverment that are nothing but a drain now and later (pension & healthcare)

Posted 08:44 AM, 11/10/2009

JerseyRotgut

@aNutterInDgutter - Rumson is nowhere near Camden. You should use yer little sausage fingers to check out google maps perhaps. Type in Rumson. Don't forget to give me a shout when you find out. Cheers!

Posted 08:48 AM, 11/10/2009

anodyne

There are a number of things that make Philadelphia unique, some that are probably overrated or past their prime, some that are real living breathing institutions that help define us as a place. Nutter needs to stop simply saying 'no' to everything and work with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to save the defining events.

Posted 08:50 AM, 11/10/2009

blue&white

For all of those that don't care that these events are leaving. There is a signifigant econimic and social impact. This means less people staying in hotels in the city, which means Philadelphia does not collect the sales tax from what people spend, does not collect occupancy tax from hotels. Hotels and restuarants lose revenue which in turn means they don't employee as many people, which is a lose in city wage taxes plus the social impact and costs of lost jobs. Not to mention the quality of life lose in the city which in turns makes all these young, affluent persons who have moved to the city over the last ten years move to the suburbs when their earning power really kicks in thier 30's and 40's. Which is another lose in city wage tax revenue. Why don't we call for real changes in city government to get rid of the ridculous wasteful spending of our city. Until we get real change this city will just repeat the fall of the 70's-90's and this time it won't see the rebound.