Ironman looking for more money from city
Penticton Herald
Thursday, September 10, 2009
A request from Ironman Canada for $100,000 more in annual community support has local officials looking for ways to come up with the cash.
However, Mayor Dan Ashton emphasizes Ironman is not threatening to move the triathlon out of Penticton.
Details of the funding request were disclosed at the close of Tuesday night‘s city council meeting, after Ashton had unveiled details to about 30 invited guests at a “Breakfast with the Mayor” event earlier in the day.
Coun. Mike Pearce said Ironman has requested additional money from the community, partially over the next 10 years and some immediately.
“As you know, Ironman is a great benefit for the City of Penticton,” Pearce said.
“I don‘t think we‘d probably want to be known as the council that chased Ironman out, but we also must bargain the best deal for the entire taxpayers.”
But Ashton quickly downplayed any suggestion that Ironman Canada may be contemplating a move away from Penticton if the fundraising comes up short.
“They have not threatened to pull the race,” he said. “They have come to us and said: ’Look we have additional expenses.‘ One of the additional expenses is this year they had to start paying for ambulances which is a substantial cost.”
Ironman‘s current five-year race agreement with the city expires this year. Under the existing deal, the city provided $106,700 of in-kind services such as storage and erection of bleachers, barricades, water buoys and other items.
Ironman is now looking to the city to provide additional vehicle and container storage, plus increased RCMP traffic control services. It wants the RCMP to assume responsibility for all traffic control during the race, at a cost of $55,000 to $60,000. Currently policing costs amount to $10,000 and much of the traffic control is performed by volunteers.
“Ironman is coming up to the level of other communities which pay to have the opportunity to have an Ironman race in their community,” Ashton said.
The mayor emphasized it is not direct city funding, but a wider community approach is being considered in a bid to raise the funds with talks to continue over the months ahead.
One proposal being considered calls for a portion of the $100,000 to come from increased hotel and motel room fees, of $5 to $10 phased in over a three-year period, to be charged during Iron week.
Ashton said in return for providing the funding under a five to 10-year agreement, the city would receive extensive promotional coverage through television ads and increased coverage of the race promoting the entire South Okanagan-Similkameen.
He said the city could be in a position to cash in on the good name Penticton and the Ironman Canada event has within the triathlon community and expand on the economic benefits from the race.
Coun. Judy Sentes, former president of the Ironman Canada Race Society, said the key is the additional exposure for Penticton that Ironman has promised. She described the annual fee as a “purchase” by the community for additional tourism marketing venues.
“They will promote the destination of Penticton, over and above the race itself,” Sentes said. “So it is now a different entity and there is a fee paid for the race being here.”
World Triathlon Corp. which owns all Ironman races, was recently acquired by a group of U.S. investors, which is looking to remarket and rebrand the various Ironman races. Graham Fraser, former president of Ironman North America, has maintained control of the Penticton race in partnership with the new owners.
Ironman Canada officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
CRAP I signed up for 2010 looks like will be another Tacks on the road year because some local will get ticked at this. I’ve done canada 5 times and 2 of them were tacks on the road years luckily both times I missed out(something to be said for being a slow swimmer I guess). I mean heck they increased the entry fee again figure thats worth 50k a year.
And as if the current $230 a night rates for days in and super8(don’t know about the other official reservation hotels but figure worse) they plan on adding more to the hotel fees…
I was freaking out since last time I went they weren’t that expensive(talking about CAD here) then I signed up and started looking and thought crap I might have to bail the day after signing up.
But then I remembered some of the mom and pop motels I’d stayed in once or twice and found one for $90 a night for 2010.
One proposal being considered calls for a portion of the $100,000 to come from increased hotel and motel room fees, of $5 to $10 phased in over a three-year period, to be charged during Iron week.
Doesn’t sound like taxpayers would need to be concerned.
One proposal being considered calls for a portion of the $100,000 to come from increased hotel and motel room fees, of $5 to $10 phased in over a three-year period, to be charged during Iron week.
Doesn’t sound like taxpayers would need to be concerned.
lol…they may as well just get the racers to pay for it at registration since they will be paying for it through their hotel registration.
Greed greed greed. Lets milk the athletes and their families while they are here. Overheard someone on Mainstreet absolutely irate that a vendor was selling coffee for 3 bucks a cup. Again pure greed. Come Monday thar coffee would have been a buck.
Isn’t the rumor that they’re targeting 3000 participants for next year? Based on my experience this year, with a mass start that’s going to make for a very chaotic ride the first 80miles
Greed greed greed. Lets milk the athletes and their families while they are here. Overheard someone on Mainstreet absolutely irate that a vendor was selling coffee for 3 bucks a cup. Again pure greed. Come Monday thar coffee would have been a buck.
Of course it is, it’s the American Capitalist way. People are willing to pay 3 bucks for a cup of coffee, so he will continue to make customers pay that amount . Until you get to the point where you just wont pay for a service, that fee will continue to rise until it hits that point.
Same for WTC. People bitch and complain about the costs, but yet they still pay for that service. So obviously, the price is still cost effective, or else people wouldnt be willing to pay that price.
Every year a group of us takes over HI (Hostelling International)on Ellis Street in Pen. The rates are cheap, location excellent and the company is great ! Call 1-800-staypen and book for 2010. HI would not be increasing rates if that is what NA Sports and City of Penticton deem the best way to cover costs of extras such as RCMP to deal with bike course tacks etc.
$230/night? I’m at the Shoreline (on Lakeshore Drive) for $170, which will be within dollars of most hotels on the waterfront. 'Course, there is that pesky 7 day minimum, but virtually all hotels demand that.
I find it funny WTC is asking for money from Penticton. Ironman races seem like a license to print money. At ~3000 participants, that’s ~$1.7M coming in. What are their expenses? Fence guys, traffic control, medical staff, expo rental space, and …?
Isn’t the rumor that they’re targeting 3000 participants for next year? Based on my experience this year, with a mass start that’s going to make for a very chaotic ride the first 80miles
Sweet! More drafting opportunities.
Actually, instead of time penalties, why not cash fines? Imagine how much money could be collected for drafting fines. $100,000 profit shortfall problem solved. They could even incorporate profit sharing from the flatter races where the drafting revenue would be higher.
$230/night? I’m at the Shoreline (on Lakeshore Drive) for $170, which will be within dollars of most hotels on the waterfront. 'Course, there is that pesky 7 day minimum, but virtually all hotels demand that.
I find it funny WTC is asking for money from Penticton. Ironman races seem like a license to print money. At ~3000 participants, that’s ~$1.7M coming in. What are their expenses? Fence guys, traffic control, medical staff, expo rental space, and …?
Correct me if I’m wrong(OH I forgot this is Slowtwitch) WTC doesn’t own Ironman Canada the recent deal left that with Graham and the North America Sports folks so its NAS not WTC.
I think the additional money is for tack cleanup service…
Correct me if I’m wrong(OH I forgot this is Slowtwitch) WTC doesn’t own Ironman Canada the recent deal left that with Graham and the North America Sports folks so its NAS not WTC.\
I’m pretty sure you are right there, so any WTC hate is mis directed. Not sure how long Canada will stay a sanctioned Ironman event, probably has a few years left on the present contract, unless Graham was able to expend it when he sold his other properties. As to making more money on your race, I see no problem with supply and demand. IF what you are doing pisses off enough people to the point that they actually stop going to your race, then you have done something wrong. Is anyone cancelling their entry to Canada yet???
If it means more tacks( for the taxes), I’ll just carry more spares.