Key West - Words From the Mayor
 

Okay,
I wanted to find out a little more about what the situation is down there and also wanted to make sure that the appropriate people were informed about what is about to happen.

I haven't cancelled my reservations yet, I don't know why, but I'm holding on to one last shread of hope, so I wanted to get some confirmation.

Basically, what I found out was quite interesting, I'm sure you'll think so, too.

Read from the bottom, up.

-------------------------------------------------

Mr. Weekley,
Once again, thank you. You don't know how much I appreciate your time and efforts here in this matter.

I find that very interesting considering what Lee Mills has been posting on his site:

Lee's Site:
http://www.keywestosworlds.com/page2.html

Nick Kamenszky



____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject: RE: RE: APBA World Championships, November 2003
Author: "Jimmy Weekley" <SMTP:[email protected]>
Date: 9/16/2003 2:56 PM

Nick,
Lee Miles has not approached the City for any permits regarding his race. Also,
it is my understanding that the Navy would not give permission for Lee to use
the outer mole for his race. I'm trying to confirm with the Navy.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Kamenszky [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 2:27 PM
To: Jimmy Weekley
Subject: Re:RE: APBA World Championships, November 2003


Thank You for your quick response. It is greatly appreciated.
If you would like to know more about what is being said, please visit:

http://offshoreonly.com/forums/showt...threadid=59296

http://offshoreonly.com/forums/showt...threadid=59273

http://offshoreonly.com/forums/showt...threadid=59355

I would just like to profess one final point. Key West is something very special in the hearts of many Offshore Powerboat Racers. The chance to race in Key West
and be part of history in the making, while being in the heart of such a great city, is the highlight of the season for many. Key West and the APBA share some heritage
and history and all I would like to ask is that all parties make the best possible effort to make the APBA race happen.

Thank You.
Nick Kamenszky


____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject: RE: APBA World Championships, November 2003
Author: "Jimmy Weekley" <SMTP:[email protected]>
Date: 9/16/2003 12:08 PM

Nick,
Thanks for the e-mail. I was not aware that the APBA was not going to sanction
the race this year. I will look into this matter.
Jimmy Weekley
Mayor

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Kamenszky [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 1:02 PM
To: Jimmy Weekley
Subject: APBA World Championships, November 2003


Dear Mayor,

With angst and disdain, I must inform you of a potentially negative situation surrounding the APBA World Championships Offshore Powerboat races scheduled to be held on November 17-23 in your beautiful city.

I'm sure I need not tell you that the Key West APBA World Championships is an event that thousands upon thousands of people look forward to each and every
year. The championships in Key West are a culmination of a great yearlong effort, and the excitement of wonderful week in Key West to be had by all who
participate and who flock down to Key West to be part of the viewing public.

I'm also certain that you are aware of the tremendous economic benefit of such an event. It is obvious to even the casual observer, who is in attendance and enjoying vacation in Key West during that time, that the island is thriving with activity and most hotels and eateries are to capacity.

Sorrowfully, the promoter of this year's event, Lee Mills, seems to be the center of some controversy regarding APBA sanctioning fees for this event. Meanwhile, Mr. Mills has concocted some scheme to hold what he has dubbed "The Key West Offshore World Championships."

You may not be aware, that if this is the case, and APBA does not sanction this event, Key West could potentially be hosting a boat race that will be mostly devoid of boats. Already, when news of this broke early this week, I have witnessed many people making cancellations for their plans to be in Key West in November. The commitment of the racers is with the APBA, NOT Lee Mills and his "Offshore World
Championships."

I ask of you please to look into this matter. There may be detriment to the event if APBA sanctioning does not occur.

Myself personally, and very many of my offshore racing acquaintances, are on the verge of cancellation. We await your response.

Best Regards,
Nick Kamenszky,
APBA Fan,
4-time Key West APBA Offshore World Championship Attendee

Looks to me like somebody might be runnin' a scam:eek: :eek:

If this email is legit, the content is explosive:

"Lee Miles has not approached the City for any permits regarding his race." Signed by the Mayor.

Offshore/high performance powerboats and scam/fraud in the same sentence? NO! I would have NEVER thought!:rolleyes:

GREAT WORK NICK! Keep it up. Looks like someone may have some 'splainin' to do! Nick for Governor of California and President of the U.S.!:D

It is absolutely, 100% legitimate.

LOL, Shane! :) Thanks.

If I read the good Mayor correctly, he's saying: Nobody has approached us for permits yet. Therefore, the race does not exist as far as the city is concerned. Please come and ask us for permits.

Mike Alweiss: Please call Jimmy Weekley. (If only to confirm the veracity if this email interchange.)

Yes, that's pretty much what I gathered from his statement, also.

Same message from Jimmy Weekly
 

I recieved almost the identical reply from Jimmy Weekly to an email I sent yesterday. I was surprised that he responded and at the content of his message. As Lee Mills states on his website "10 months of careful planning" somehow missed a step of getting permits from the city and securing approval from the Navy to use the intended facilities. I don't think I would like being a part of the Key West Investment Group right about now.


-----Original Message-----
From: Jimmy Weekley [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 3:02 PM
To: Edwards, Doug
Subject: RE: Offshore Races


Doug,
This has caught me by surprise. I have found out that Lee has not approaced the City for any permits and that the Navy will not give Lee permission to use the outer mole area for the race. This is all that I know right now however, I will be looking in this matter in more detail.
JImmy Weekley


-----Original Message-----
From: Edwards, Doug
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 12:36 PM
To: Jimmy Weekley
Subject: Offshore Races


Dear Mr. Mayor,
I am writing to inform you of a situation that I find very frustrating and has the potential to be very harmful to the tourist industry in KW. I was planning on visiting KW in November to watch the World Championship Offshore Races. I have recently been informed that many racers will not be attending these races due to a conflict with the local promoter and the sactioning body (APBA). Apparently, Mr. Lee Mills is refusing to pay a sanctioning fee (which he was contractually bound to do) and offering instead a race that he is sponsoring with a local investment group. Many of the best boat racers in the world will now be attending an alternate location that is APBA sanctioned to run the World Championships instead of KW. To be recognized as a World Champion by a sanctioning body (APBA) is more valuable than to be crowned World Champion by a first year investment group. Sponsors recognize the inherent value of APBA as a racing organization as do the racers themselves.

While the boat race was just part of our plans, it was the primary focus of our planned activities. Based on these events, I will now be cancelling my air, hotel, and rental car reservations for my family. I have heard from many other fans, that they are also cancelling plans to visit KW and will instead follow the racers to Orange Beach, AL.

Regards,
Doug Edwards

Good letter, Doug. I'm glad that you and I, and probably others, have been able to bring this to attention.
:cool:

That is true, Fred. Alabama is affirmative.
I wrote this stuff yesterday.

At least we can begin to figure out where the breakdown may have started.

ALABAMA!?!?!?!? Where will they be next year, Nebraska?

LOTO is too rough for an Offshore race:D :D

Now THAT would be sweet. Make em run to Big Dicks and back 5 times.

You cannot put the blame on Lee only, the blame should be put on both Lee and Mike A, sounds as if they all are telling untruths...........Par for the course I believe!!!!

How is mike telling an "untruth"? It is proven that Lee Mills has not paid the sanctioning dues, and as it looks has also not gotten the proper permits. I see no wrong doing on APBA's part, only mr Mills'.

I agree, ChrisK.

Chris K,

"It is proven that Lee Mills has not paid the sanctioning dues"
Please enlighten the whole racing community, how is this fact proven? Do you have documents or evidence solidifying you comment?
I am not by any means saying he has, but this has been par for the course this year. Insurance problems in Daytona that got resolved last minute, Securing a bond(or cashiers check) in order to race in Sarasota, and the latest is that St Pete is not in stone due to monies owed from 2 years ago. How much of this do the racers have to take?
LLC provides the venues with approx 60-80 boats a venue and has some very competitive racing that I have enjoyed for over 3 years now as a crewman and as a racer. We were told a couple of months ago that the schedule was a lock. Lets see, since then Bahamas has officially been cancelled(after being canceled in Jan/Feb by the bahamas themselves), Tampa moved to St Pete and now KW up to Ala. My travel agent thinks I am crazy with all of these changes.

My father raised me with "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see" and sorry thats the atitude I have to keep with the turmoil that has happened this year.

Promise to pay your registration fees.

Then don't pay.

If they say no money, no race, claim that there is ample precedent for your actions.

"Sanctioning bodies and race promoters are my heroes. I promised I will emulate them every step of my way."

Actually, I thought APBA's announcement that they emailed to us and posted here was interesting, read it carefully:

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but nowhere does APBA say that Lee Mills did not pay the sanctioning fee. I would be much more comfortable if APBA had said "Lee Mills did not pay the sanction fee." ... instead, we got vauge language ...

Yeah Right!!!
 

This childish charade called APBA, let me get this right... Never knew Mills didnt get the permits, AND never checked with the Mayor and other high ups in KW??? Sounds about right for Mike A!!!

Trent,
By the same token, "Please enlighten us" as to your source for these statements you've just made. Where did you get these "facts" and where is your evidence?

guy's

i will end you arguing. lee mill's himself said he did not , and will not pay the fee's.
as to mikes letter he is trying to be politically correct not bashing the other party.

don't you people understand apba is a sanctioning body just like nascar. a promoter put's on the race. if he fails we fail. if you go back in the days of nascar and even today they have the same problems.

it's called racing.

Treadwell

LMFAO:D :D

I'm in for the titties and beer. They have a great back room in the bar with no windows!!!:eek:

From the information I have seen here, and this is the ONLY information I have, I have a few concerns. Once I have received answers to these concerns/questions, then and only then do I believe that I can make some informed decision. I would like to preface the following by saying, that although I have no personal first hand knowledge of the LLC and promoters, what has been reported and clearly happened thus far begins to tell its own story.

What I have seen so far is many venues being altered, moved or out right deleted. Promises made that these same items (venues) were fixed and set in stone per se, so that racers could make the appropriate arrangements. If memory serves me correctly, and I am certainly NOT wording this verbatim, the LLC and or its representatives, came on here, as well as spoke at drivers meetings, claiming that they were fixing many of the problems that have plagued this sport for years so that it can become the next great motorsport. Particularly, one of the points that were addressed was the lack of consistancy and verification of venues. If I remember correctly, the LLC and or its representatives stated that this was an issue that would be no longer. If I am mistaken please correct me. It seems that in all of the good that the LLC has done, admittedly they have a long way to go, still have some serious fundamental issues that need to be rectified before things really begin to unravel.

With the experience of the people at the controls of the LLC, I find it hard to believe that knowing all that goes in to putting on a race, especially what is arguably the single most important race of the year, Key West, that they turned a blind eye to it and left all the responsibility to assure its existence to one person without a contract. I would like to know why the LLC was not on top of this to ensure it happened, especially after last years cluster ****. It just seems to me that as much as things have changed they have remained the same.:(

Re: Yeah Right!!!
 

Great, another new member with APBA bashing on their 2nd post and a blank profile.


If you are going to slam someone don't hide.


Jan

According to another OSO poster that talked to Lee Mills, he did pay the sanction fee:

(Quoted from the last post onthis page)

Re: Re: Yeah Right!!!
 

It must be little reggie! :p :p

And that's exactly what incites so much anger from the competition. They just can't stand it...so they bash.

:D

The latest:
 

Last I knew, ONLY the LLC legally can schedule and request an APBA offshore event (at least according to their LLC Contract with the APBA, which is now in litigation I understand).
I believe this means that the Sanction Fee must be submitted AND paid to APBA Headquarters by ONLY the LLC. I don't believe Mr. Lee Mills is on the LLC's BOD or even an officer of the organization. So "HE" (Mr. Mills) personally can not "pay" a APBA Sanction to APBA. It must come from an APBA approved club or entity (such as the LLC) in order for ABPA to Sanction it. And I find it hard to believe that the LLC, with or without Mr. Mills financial committments, did not have the funds readily available in their account to pay for the APBA sanction anyway.

I'd have to say Allweiss dropped the ball on this one big time! He obviously ordered HIS LLC Promotions people to build up the hype & Promotion surrounding the event, plus he & Lee Mills made & recieved financial committments as well as domestic & international participation committments. All while knowing there was NOT YET ANY approved APBA sanction being made, submitted or paid for by the LLC (who is, as I said, I believe the ONLY Offshore type of entity that I believe the APBA will approve a offshore race for).
Plus the LLC knowing that no Coast Guard permit was not yet submitted for the Hydroplane guys to be able to even be "allowed" to race in the Mole (but yet allowing the LLC to promise them a race anyhow) just adds more salt in the wound.
None of this is a good thing to do for the sport overall OR for the sponsors (present OR future).

I'm sure the UIM Org. (as well as the various International teams who've committed to the event from afar) does not have a warm fuzzy feeling now about Mike Allweiss and the LLC. And trust me, the UIM could care less who Lee Mills is. HE does not run the race, the LLC does. It wouldn't surprise me if the UIM does not now accept any of the final tabulated winners of the race (if/when the race even happens). Hopefully this little crisis won't put a blemish on ALL of APBA in the UIM's eye's.
I don't think most of you understand or realize the implications & seriousness that this dilemma potentially has or could cause down the road for ALL of APBA racing.

ANY RACE CHAIRMAN OR COORDINATOR KNOWS THAT YOU JUST DON'T DO ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE OR PROMISED WITHOUT A FIRMED UP SANCTION BEING PAID AND APPROVED OF FIRST!! SPECIALLY WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL RACING WORLD IS INVOLVED!!

I feel for you guys as well as the Stock Outboard Hydro guys...

Brian

Re: Re: Re: Yeah Right!!!
 

I think it's HOTFOOT

Gordo,
The Daytona issue was rumors at the race site itself and then confirmed at the friday night drivers meeting that it had been resolved the day before. The Sarasota issue was stated to me by a city councilman of Sarasota. The St Pete issue is just grumblings at this point coming out of the west coast(of Fla) due to the fact of why didnt LLC have the race there last year, being in their backyard so to speak.

Gordo, I have said it before and I will say it again, I race the LLC circuit, the SBI circuit, The OPA circuit and the only I care about is racing. I just know that with SBI and OPA I have not had to make any changes to my travel itenerary at all since March.

I am not defending Lee in any way whatsoever, but why does everyone point the fingers at him, it is NOT totally his fault. He is part to blame yes, but the almighty Glass house of yours called the almighty LLC has screwed the pooch on this one bigtime. UIM was in NC doing kilos this year not Savanah doing the speed trials.

My question to you is why is LLC in and out of court?, why did Detroit pull away?, why did Merc pull away? Why are the fans that requested for time off between the 17 and 23 of Novemeber pissed after losing money to the airlines amongst other things. Without us, the racers, LLC, SBI, OPA are all nothing. Without the fans, we the racers are nothing.
Gordo please quit defending them. Just go to ALA and have a great time, while the rest of us head down to the keys and enjoy the scuba diving. Better yet, go down to Westport and have a beer and think about what the fans are saying about this mess. They are not happy and when the fans lose interest how are you going to explain it to your sponsor? I know mine already has questions.

This whole thing blows. Looks like a bunch of greedy, unorganised egotistical aholes that can't get their sh*t together. Please, how many years have they raced in Key West in November? Since before Don Aronow. Again for the bazillionth time, the powers that be f#$ked up this sport again by diluting the one race that everyone can sort of rely on. ( can you say Biloxi ) Was there no middle ground between the LLC and Lee Mills that would have allowed, at this late date, a great race in the one city in this country that rocks during race week. Nobody will ever know the real truth here except to say that they both could have compromised and spent the next 10 months arguing over next year. :mad:

Nascar, please! This sport is so rediculously far from being anything like that organization it's a joke. How good would the Daytona 500 be in Mayberry? :rolleyes:

The sad thing is that the racers, who put it on the line everytime to win, for no monetary reasons at all, have to put up with this crap all the time. The fans and participants deserve something better than this every friggin year. Is anyone listening? :mad: NK

F1-00 Racing,

How was UIM in NC doing kilos:confused:

SBI has no affiliation with UIM.

I got an Idea...how bout the Jersey Boyz/ OPA worlds in KW.

a UIM official was flown in to observe and make sure there was no funny business. And with the way this season has gone, who the hell has affliation with who anymore?

Flown in from where... Monaco:confused:

APBA is the sole authority of UIM in the United States. UIM does not even have "officials" in the sense of the word your using here.

Sounds like there was "funny business" afterall:confused:

I believe what I said earlier today was reinforced by Mr. Mills himself in another post..

"We have been seeking over the last two months, in good faith, to negotiate a fair and reasonable sanction agreement with the management of APBA Offshore. We are very disappointed that their position was both non-communicative and intransient. I suppose that this is their right, but it represents a cold and insensitive attitude towards the race teams and event promoters they should be looking out for. We saw this coming a few weeks ago and accordingly established our own independent website and instituted a direct mail marketing campaign to keep the race teams, fans and sponsors informed. "

From my understanding in reading that, the dues have not been paid. I may be reading this wrong, but why else would the APBA move the race if they ARE paid?

Negotiating, my ass! More like not wanting to pay the fee previously agreed to.

Baja Daze
soundes like Mills got his idea from watching the LLC dealing with the APBA