OSO News

General Press Release Announcement
August 29, 2007

The American Powerboat Racing Commission has since last November 2006 worked exhaustively to produce the “Freedom America Celebration” including a Powerboat Race on the St. Johns River in front of Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida. This event is in Honor of our Men and Women Overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. The event will incorporate all of the Military Branches displaying booths, exhibits, marching in the Parade and performing demonstrations of equipment and their dedicated services to America.

This effort started in November of 2006 with an application to the City of Jacksonville to permit the event downtown on the North Bank, East of the Main Street Bridge and for a Parade in downtown Jacksonville. An application to the US Coast Guard to permit a Powerboat Race in front of Metropolitan Park was also requested.

As the granting of a permit to run the powerboat race downtown appeared unlikely at that time several other venues such as Hanna Park, Jacksonville Beach and South of the Fuller Warren Bridge were examined. Obstacles in each venue were insurmountable, mainly because of the large numbers of spectators and the last and only venue was South of the Fuller Warren Bridge in the middle of the river. This location took several revised designs and reconfigurations of the course and finally on June 18, 2007 a letter was received from the FWC saying if unconditional requirements were met the race could be held there. The problem with this location was the public could not see the race and we could not provide our sponsors the advertisement promised so APRC decided instead of making the fans upset it would try and reapply to run the race downtown.

Several entities in Jacksonville including Senators and Congressman attempted to get the speed limit lifted in front of Metropolitan Park for a Labor Day event date only to find out the Manatee Migration season starts in September through February. The USCG had performed a study and found that running the race downtown would not expose the public or any property to harm and the permit could be approved as long as the FWC agreed. APRC called the FWC in August to discuss this issue of reapplying for a Downtown Jacksonville Permit only to find the FWC must, by their charge never allow an event anywhere in the river wherein Manatee may be endangered. Therefore they would deny and disapprove our reapplication.

Much to our despair The American Powerboat Racing Commission now concedes its efforts to produce this event in Jacksonville and will move the event to an Offshore location. APRC has put forth a meritorious effort to produce this event in Honor of our Military the Fans and for Jacksonville. It was evident early on that many fans from all over the Eastern Seaboard and Mid West were planning to celebrate with us and many of the 15,000 website hits per month were Military. Even with a great deal of concern about getting the permit APRC spent many tens of thousands of dollars pushing until the final decision was made this August. APRC has already started making arrangements for this event to be permitted Offshore next year with all of the Military and family events presently planned. Many people in Jacksonville tried to help and we sincerely appreciate everyone’s efforts to bring this event to Jacksonville.



The American Powerboat Racing Commission

P.O. Box 24405 Jacksonville, Florida 32241 739.2747 Fax 739.2740 - e-mail WWW.APRCUSA.Com