Chatter is Steve Johnson is in Edmonton to make an announcement later today.
Seems new marketing partners found, tied into Capital EX, Edmonton’s signature summer celebration.
Chatter is Steve Johnson is in Edmonton to make an announcement later today.
Seems new marketing partners found, tied into Capital EX, Edmonton’s signature summer celebration.
Originally Posted by ToddBenne
Are you less sanguine about CC's demise now?
...the spice must flow.....
Oh I could care less if CCWS and/or IRL imploded today. I just enjoy the business side of the industry and watching these follies is at times entertaining since I have dealt with some of these same folks in the past in the business. I am not an open wheel fan at all. Tin top road racing is my thing.
600 posts because you don't care if either one implodes? Okie Dokie!
581 to be exact and not all of them concerning open wheel racing.
But thanks for keeping track.
Todd, it almost sounds to me like someone got through some of the thick skulls over there.
After ALL the bad news lately, it was about time they started releasing some positive news. The JW news today along with this announcement will go a long way to calming down their fans.
I'm no big CCWS fan, but I worked in the advertising/PR field long enough I just HATE to see anybody eff it up as badly as they have over there now for two years.
Here's the release;
Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton Announces New Partnership Edmonton, AB, Canada —The Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton, the Champ Car World Series event held July 18-20 in Canada, has forged a new relationship with Northlands that ties the Canadian Triple Crown race to Capital EX, Edmonton’s signature summer celebration.
A comprehensive event management, sponsorship coordination and general operations agreement has been forged that will build on the international success of the three-year-old event, officials announced Tuesday in Edmonton.
“We felt it was time to move the Grand Prix onto a bigger stage by getting Northlands involved and leveraging their expertise in producing and promoting Edmonton’s largest events,” said Jim Haskins, President of the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton.
In 2007, the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton attracted more than 167,000 spectators. The Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) estimated that hosting the 2007 Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton injected $24.8 million dollars in expenditures into the Greater Edmonton economy.
The new arrangement ties the race to Capital Ex, Edmonton’s summer celebration. The Grand Prix will be held the weekend of July 18-20 with Capital Ex surrounding it, opening July 17 and closing July 26. Last year, Capital EX attracted more than 773,000 visitors over 10 days.
“Northlands is very excited to play a part in expanding this great race,” said Jerry Bouma, Chair of the Northlands Board of Directors. “We are committed to making Edmonton a great city and this agreement means that Northlands can continue to do what we do best—put on large scale, world-class events that attract visitors from abroad and showcase Edmonton to the world.”
“We’re thrilled that Edmonton is preparing to do all it can to further enhance this popular event on the Champ Car schedule,” said Champ Car President & CEO Steve Johnson, who participated in Tuesday’s announcement in Edmonton. “In just three seasons, the Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton has grown in stature and now sits among our top-tier of events. The circuit at Edmonton’s City Centre Airport is unique and very popular with fans and drivers alike.”
Previous winners of the race are Justin Wilson (2005) and four-time Champ Car titlist Sebastien Bourdais (2006, 2007). The Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton serves as the final race in the Canadian Triple Crown, a team competition that links the three Champ Car events (including Mont-Tremblant and Toronto) held in Canada. The competition was won last year by Team Australia drivers Will Power and Simon Pagenaud.
That's the big thing to me. Is how do these successful guys screw up something so easily day in and day out? I think the lack of attention and lack of rumor squashing and such is because they feel they know it all, everyone else is stoopid, so why dignify anything with a release to counter bad news. Unfortunately, it is having the reverse effect.
I see Marksie has a rumor that CCWS is getting a new PR director. So does that mean Garrett Mudd is gone?
If Mudd is gone, I think Johnson may well be right behind him.
Anybody want to bet that someone associated with that race - either the promoter or CCWS itself - claims EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM as race attendees!The new arrangement ties the race to Capital Ex, Edmonton’s summer celebration. The Grand Prix will be held the weekend of July 18-20 with Capital Ex surrounding it, opening July 17 and closing July 26. Last year, Capital EX attracted more than 773,000 visitors over 10 days.
IT'S A NEW TRACK RECORD!!!
Some think it is a female PR rep from a team taking the CCWS PR director job. Some are speculating the gal from PCM. Don't know them or her, so couldn't say. Find out soon enough I guess.
Rumor has it that the previous promoter is gone and this is now a CC self-promote. They are partnered with Northlands, a non-profit, volunteer organization.
That would explain why it was part of the 5 race proposal.
If true, then the fanatics who are claiming this to be a victory for CCWS and another race Tony can't poach, have no real clue the dire condition their series is in. KK has to buy it because the current ownership is tired of losing millions and no longer wants it, so KK gets to lose millions...again. Yep, a stellar business model. Again, if this is the case.
What a joke
Get your head out of your past!!!
And if not true, then the fanataics, especilly those of the business of racingand who believe the series is in dire condition, have no clue.
This rumor came from a message board with no other basis or foundation, at least not one that I have found.
mr wilke, care to share where you heard this rumor?
This article states "apparently" it was sold to Northlands and the city is now backing the race:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmo...01459-sun.htmlWed, January 30, 2008
Northlands takes the wheel
By GRAHAM HICKS
FROM HORSES TO CAR RACING
Big day for sports news in Chilly Town.
The Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton has found an angel.
Its name is Northlands.
Last summer's rumours proved correct.
While attendance has been great, the Edmonton stop on the Champ Car open-wheel racing circuit was still losing money after three years.
The original investors - Ric Forest, Bruce Saville, Ernie Pasemko and others - could see light at the end of the tunnel. But they didn't have pockets deep enough to hang on through the turn-around.
Now Northlands - a non-profit organization with a mandate to produce major entertainment events on behalf of the city and area -has apparently purchased the race.
COME CLEAN ON THE FINANCIALS
I say "apparently."
At yesterday's news conference, everybody was all too coy about the purchase and purchase costs.
The new deal is a "comprehensive agreement regarding ownership and operations," according to race GM Jim Haskins, or a "progressive agreement," an "arrangement" or an "alignment" as Northlands president Ken Knowles put it, between local race management, Northlands, the city and Champ Car.
Yep, the city is involved.
After the news conference, city manager Al Maurer confirmed to me that the city is "back-stopping" the race.
"Much the same way the city, as the ultimate owner of Rexall Place, the Citadel Theatre and other facilities - is in the final analysis responsible for those operations," said Al.
Northlands taking over the Rexall Grand Prix is a good idea.
Grand Prix/Capital Ex synergies could turn the race's financial loss around.
The Grand Prix, for instance, was being hammered by grandstand rental costs running at $5 million or more for the one weekend. Between Northlands, the city and the Grand Prix, a business case can be made to purchase those grandstands for use at various events through the summer.
Northlands exists to serve the community. This purchase is more an exercise in not losing the Grand Prix than in making money. But I'm irritated at the refusal yesterday to put any hard numbers on this transaction.
The city is using taxpayers' money. As is Northlands, indirectly.
And where public money is involved, numbers should be transparent.
Thanks Downforce!
And in this article they admit the race hasn't turned a profit despite attendance greater than 150,000 all three years due to a cost to put on of more than $10 million:
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...3127c6&k=33046Northlands takes the wheel of Grand Prix
John Korobanik, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Tuesday, January 29
EDMONTON - The Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton, a huge success in terms of attendance but a money-loser its first three years, has been taken over by Edmonton Northlands.
Officials from the Grand Prix, Northlands and the City of Edmonton told a morning news conference the three groups had reached agreement to transfer ownership from a small group of investors to Northlands. Jim Haskins, president of Grand Prix Edmonton, Ken Knowles, president of Northlands, and Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel all declined to discuss actual figures involved in the deal, but said it was being done for the benefit of the event and the city.
"There's always rumors but from our point of view it's a positive story and with Northlands involved you can take it to a new level and that's the key to this," Mandel said of rumours the event was in financial difficulty.
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The event costs more than $10 million to put on each July and hasn't yet turned a profit. Attendance was more than 200,000 in 2005, 171,391 in 2006 and 167,152 last year. Haskins said the involvement of Northlands and its expertise in staging major events will hopefully turn around that decline.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss finances," said Haskins. "I can say it is the most expensive event on the circuit because of the fact we're in the north, on a temporary airport facility so there's no permanent infrastructure ... our stands are very, very expensive to put up.
"Because we're on an airport, there's a limited amount of time we can be on site before and after and that drives up the cost.
"We got to the end of year three and thought, how do we grow this. The most obvious answer was to work with Northlands. So now we're working with Northlands on ways to reduce costs."
Haskins said in his mind there was never any danger of the city losing the event. "This is a great, successful event and we were going to find ways to make this work."
The event is scheduled for July 18-20 and will be cross-marketed by Northlands with its Capital Ex festival that runs July 17-26
any freedom of information laws in Canada relative to municipal finance?
a money loser being bailed out at taxpayers expense so a few millionares can continue to play life size slot car racing.................this is GOOD for CC...........And if not true, then the fanataics, especilly those of the business of racing
This rumor came from a message board with no other basis or foundation, at least not one that I have found.
mr wilke, care to share where you heard this rumor?
the man in expensive shoes
I don't know, ask AGR promotions since they asked St Pete for money last year too.a money loser being bailed out at taxpayers expense so a few millionares can continue to play life size slot car racing.................this is GOOD for CC...........
But back to the original point, wilke said it was a CC co-promote, and the business of racing fan jumped in to claim how ridiculous that was. So is it? Doesn't look like it now, does it?
I live in Pinellas County and have never heard that from any other source.........I have read in the St. Pete Times that AGP PAID the city 150k for services......please provide a supporting link to your claim.......the city of Edmonton is bailing out the CC race........that is a documented FACT......
Well bub, since you seem determined to take shots at me in your last few post so far, might I remind you I qualified my thoughts with the opening statement of If true. Never said it was, never claimed to know. Just speculating on the if and the reaction of the fanatics. But thanks for caring.
At least I sign my post and don't hide. Let me know when the Three Amigos cost you a job and tens of thousand of dollars in racing. Then we'll compare notes.
It wasn't a rumor. it was posted in the minutes for the city council meeting a few months prior to the race. The link was posted back then. Feel free to search for it.I live in Pinellas County and have never heard that from any other source.........I have read in the St. Pete Times that AGP PAID the city 150k for services......please provide a supporting link to your claim.......the city of Edmonton is bailing out the CC race........that is a documented FACT......
Well VeracityTeks it sounds to me like CC is part of the promotion team
I guess you could argue its not a co-promote but then you have to say quad-promote.The new deal is a "comprehensive agreement regarding ownership and operations," according to race GM Jim Haskins, or a "progressive agreement," an "arrangement" or an "alignment" as Northlands president Ken Knowles put it, between local race management, Northlands, the city and Champ Car.
Tara was the name of our cat.
http://stpeteshines.stpete.org/
that's just a flat out LIE VT........
In other words, a public subsidy from a non-profit organization that exists to promote the City of Edmonton.
Hardly a sponsorship.
yep, dem taxpayers got all the money in the world......
Exactly. Its good enough for Bernie to milk puplic treasuries for all he can get, so its only natural for a gang of folks who have an inflated opinion of their self worth to try to do the same thing.
For the record, I never had a problem with CART in 1995. Its when they turned beligerant twards IMS and their fans for supporting the IRL that turned me off them.
The ciy of St. Pete provides $150,00 in services to Andretti Green Promotions. AGP pays the city for expenses (as described in the quote below) that exceed that amount.
I think. You may recall the discussion here a yearo or so back when Rick Baker, the Mayor of St. Pete expressed his frustration that the race was planned on the same weekend as the free airshow at MacDill AFB. He was quoted then the cost of services the city pays to the promoter.
From tampabay.comUnder the terms of the agreement, which remain unchanged, the city will provide up to $150, 000 in services to race promoters.
The city costs include police and fire protection, as well as road and garbage service. The city does not pay race promoters cash.
This year, the city said it expects to receive money back from Andretti Green for expenses over $150, 000 related to the Saturday American Le Mans Series race.
In return, the city receives 200 tickets, advertising opportunities and the right to build a hospitality area.
There's also the added benefit of more than five hours of television exposure for the Le Mans and IndyCar series' races, Baker said.
"I don't know what you would spend for that amount of media coverage, " Baker said.
Though its popularity has increased each year, the local Grand Prix's fate had been in question before Monday.
The race lost money in 2005 and 2006, officials said, and Andretti Green asked for a three-month extension until today to decide whether to exercise a two-year option extending the race through 2009.
It costs millions of dollars to build the 1.8-mile race course, putting St. Petersburg at a huge disadvantage when compared to standard oval tracks, officials said. They declined to be more specific about their costs.
Last edited by Spike; 01-30-2008 at 06:58 PM.
"The IRL's future should be good, but it can't be the grass-roots series Tony George envisioned. That was a wet dream." - Bobby Unser
Nope, it's not, but I was wrong in that it was for the 2006 race.
In connection with a report item, Councilmember Williams moved with the second of
Councilmember Littrell that the following resolution be adopted:
05-660Approving a second amendment to an agreement with Andretti Green Promotions,
L.L.C. for the conduct of professional automobile racing in downtown St.
Petersburg with the deletion of “public” from item (6) contained in Revised Exhibit
E Additional Promotional Benefits.
http://www.stpete.org/LegisStream/MG...O164840/13.txt
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