this from the Key West Citizen july 2nd:

Offshore boat races canceled, lack of funding cited

BY VALLI FINNEY

Free Press Managing Editor

Organizers of the Marathon Offshore Grand Prix boat races have canceled the event for next year, citing a lack of financial support from the District Advisory Council III.

However at least one member of the council says the group failed to give a presentation that would put the event at the top of the list to receive event funding.

DAC III's recommendation to the Tourist Development Council for next year's funding was for $74,000, said Randy Mearns, the Grand Prix's race director. For this year's races, $205,000 was approved for the two races offshore of Marathon.

Mearns wrote in a prepared statement that a Middle Keys Events Council, a non-profit corporation designed to attract, organize and coordinate quality local events, was formed. Members include representatives from the city, Marathon Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and other local, non-profits.

"This group requested $206,000 in funding from DAC III in order to fund the boat races, the motorcycle show and the concerts," Mearns wrote. "The overall budget for the boat race and festival exceeds $400,000."

And, the cut in funding to $74,000 is just not enough to cover all the expenses, he wrote.

"For next year, a large portion of the funds used for special event funding had been moved into the (TDC's) general advertising fund .... While we appreciated the DAC III offer, we are disappointed to say that it is not financially possible to stage an event the caliber equal to last year's events with the funds approved by the DAC III."

The money placed in the general fund is used to advertise Keyswide in larger publications.

Hoteliers Richie Moretti and Jim Rhyne share Mearns' concerns.

Moretti, who owns Hidden Harbor Motel, says the TDC and DAC III are looking out for the big guy, instead of the Mom and Pop motels and hotels in Marathon.

Only two places — Banana Bay and Hawk's Cay in Marathon — benefit from the advertising, which targets the high-end tourist, Moretti said.

Rhyne agrees.

"It was the dumbest thing I ever saw," he said. "We lose an event that brings in four days of money for what...more magazine ads that no one can participate in except Hawk's Cay? I'm very disappointed in the lodging reps on DAC III."

A telephone message left at Hawk's Cay for Ursula Boll was not returned. She attended the DAC III meeting where the vote was taken to place the money in the general advertising fund kitty, Rhyne said.

Rhyne said his motel, Coconut Cay Resort, cannot participate in the glossy magazine advertising because of the cost to him.

"I can't participate in them," he said. "Some are 500 dollars or 800 dollars per motel. Five hundred is my monthly advertising budget."

Another problem with the DAC III recommendation: $10,000 was recommended for Fantasy Fest in Key West.

That money should stay local, the men say.

But Eric Hathaway, owner of Tropical Cottages in Marathon and who is part owner of Banana Bay in Marathon and "holds a position" in the Banana Bay in Key West disagrees there is problem.

"I'm sorry they're not happy, but we gave them all we had left," he said. "The intention was to increase the pots and have more smaller events spread out over the year." No new events came forward seeking funding though.

"We allocated every cent we had for events," he said. "We did it according to rankings."

The boat races ranked last in the funding scheme based upon the grant application wording and presentations made at the meeting, he said.

Fantasy Fest had the best presentation and even showed the DAC III board how it affected motels and hotels up and down the Keys, including the Marathon area, something the race people failed to do, Hathaway said.

He benefited more from Fantasy Fest than he did the boat races, Hathaway said. During the boat races, his motel wasn't affected by the races, but instead he had fishermen staying there.

He doesn't see a problem with using the funds to attract events Keyswide that he says does benefit Marathon.

However, Moretti does see the money being transferred to the general advertising fund as a huge problem.

"It smacks of elitism," he said.


Sat, Jul 2, 2005















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Ouch!!!



That is just horrible....

Hopefully the orginazation can find other means of raising the difference in the funds.