While you are correct about WTC and some RD's. I think that you can rest assured that the prior owner of IMLP was not driven first and foremost by money. I can assure you that in the years I was putting on Rockman, no money was to be made. I invested damn near every cent into making certain that the event was as safe as possible - using Grahams vision and the real world at IMLP as an example to follow. These days, IMLP would not be the cookie cutter I would want to duplicate - Wildflower maybe, Canada maybe....but not the over crowded fiasco that IMLP has become.

Seems, let there be no question - in Wisconsin for instance there is a pretty large community movement to not renew the contract for IMoo in some of the small towns on the bike course. Let alone tractors parked in the roads, tacks, glass and on and on.

John Hirsch wrote:

What Monty said.

But more to his point perhaps: Some happenings take of a life onto themselves. Its the experiences, the history, and the people involved that trump the current "logic" of putting the event on. Kona is a great example of that. Its Kona. Its Kona because its Kona. A great arguement could be made to move Kona, and people have. But to a lot of people (including me) Kona is a happening. Kinda of like Burning Man. I think the race at Lake Placid has reached that level, as did Roth. Its a classic, its a happening. the WTC could pass it up but I don't think they will because it makes money, and because to do so would further let in Challenge or Rev3. (For the record I would prefer that, but I don't see it happening for the reasons above).

IMLP hughly surpasses the income that the town gets from anything else. So while some locals will complain (and are right to do so at times) its not worse than other places like Wisconsin where a guy drove a tracker onto the course to mess with us, or Lou where I road over a giant circle with a line through it and the word "Ironman" and then there were reports of tacs on the road. Those cities have other sources of income too, they don't "need" ironman like Placid does. Placid, in this economy would be meaningful effected by IMLP shutting down and someone else not coming in.

A few other comments: If you think Lake Placid kills you on costs, your gonna love my town, New York City.

IMLP is not crowded compared to other courses. Its got one of the only closed bike courses. IMLou was so sketchy with no shoulder, huge groups on a smaller loop, and cars because its on important state highways. IMLP is a classic in part because its the one of, if not the best course in North America.

Also, while the town might have some vocal people who live there and don't love it, its got a lot of people that do. Smaller towns make for great venues because they really care and identify with the event. NYC won't care you are here. Lou didn't care about ironman the three years I did it. Downtown was a ghost town. Panama City, the same. LP goes all in for the event and 50000 people roll there to make it even bigger. If you are racing IMLP you feel like a rock star. IMLP is a sport crazy town and Ironman is a crazy sport.

Great town, great venue, great history with tons of athletes that love the event. This event lives on like Roth if WTC leave.