City lost $736,000 on Navy-Marine Classic Corps basketball game and events

[thelakelander]

Not good....

By Mary Kelli Palka

Jacksonville lost nearly $736,000 on the Navy-Marine Corps Classic basketball game and related events, for which vendors weren’t paid for months and at least two laws were violated.

The city hosted a college basketball game aboard a Navy ship in November as part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s Week of Valor. It was also supposed to be a fundraiser with proceeds going to military affairs efforts.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, the city nearly wiped out its sports trust fund to cover those overruns. The account, funded by proceeds from city sporting events, is now down to about $8,300.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-06/story/city-lost-736000-navy-marine-classic-corps-basketball-game-and-events#ixzz2Pm1d8xqV

[duvaldude08]

Not good....

By Mary Kelli Palka

Jacksonville lost nearly $736,000 on the Navy-Marine Corps Classic basketball game and related events, for which vendors weren’t paid for months and at least two laws were violated.

The city hosted a college basketball game aboard a Navy ship in November as part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s Week of Valor. It was also supposed to be a fundraiser with proceeds going to military affairs efforts.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, the city nearly wiped out its sports trust fund to cover those overruns. The account, funded by proceeds from city sporting events, is now down to about $8,300.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-06/story/city-lost-736000-navy-marine-classic-corps-basketball-game-and-events#ixzz2Pm1d8xqV

Its all a lesson learned. Seems like nothing went they way it was intended. shit happens I guess.

[Dog Walker]

The amount of time, energy, and taxpayer money that this city wastes on "sports" stuff is nauseating.  Next up is $50 million for a huge TV screen at the football stadium that was also paid for with tax money.

[johnny_simpatico]

I agree, Dog Walker.  Its not a case of "shit happens."  There is a pattern of underperformance suggesting a) sports should not be seen as a solution to juicing up the local economy or b) these guys don't know how to promote and execute these events.  This wasn't the only recent disaster.  I recall the Davis Cup matches a few months ago were played to a nearly empty house.  There also were some soccer matches that were poorly attended.

[downtownjag]

I agree, Dog Walker.  Its not a case of "shit happens."  There is a pattern of underperformance suggesting a) sports should not be seen as a solution to juicing up the local economy or b) these guys don't know how to promote and execute these events.  This wasn't the only recent disaster.  I recall the Davis Cup matches a few months ago were played to a nearly empty house.  There also were some soccer matches that were poorly attended.

I guess you aren't talking about USA VS Scotland that broke the record for attendance of an exhibition game?

[downtownjag]

The amount of time, energy, and taxpayer money that this city wastes on "sports" stuff is nauseating.  Next up is $50 million for a huge TV screen at the football stadium that was also paid for with tax money.

Money made at the stadium will pay for the screen.

[FSBA]

We only lost $736,000? Huzzah!

[Noone]

We are so broke.
Over a half a billion dollars in the banking fund and growing.
Will be making a scene and providing a spark in a secret Downtown kayak launch location then taking it over to the brand new No Fishing signs that was never before Waterways.
What are we trying to transform again.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[ProjectMaximus]

There also were some soccer matches that were poorly attended.

I guess you aren't talking about USA VS Scotland that broke the record for attendance of an exhibition game?

Yeah, two record-setting crowds for the Men's and Women's National teams and then an MLS friendly with 7x the attendance as Orlando had the weekend before. Johnny's point is valid, just shouldn't have mentioned the soccer matches.

[Cheshire Cat]

Instead, the city nearly wiped out its sports trust fund to cover those overruns. The account, funded by proceeds from city sporting events, is now down to about $8,300.

And the head of the city’s Sports and Entertainment office admitted it violated procurement practices when hiring six vendors and broke city code when it failed to seek contract approval from its sports advisory commission

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-06/story/city-lost-736000-navy-marine-classic-corps-basketball-game-and-events#ixzz2Pm1d8xqV

While there are several levels of "fail" in this situation the above statement should be of deep concern to voters and taxpayers.  Here we have another situation where an individual that was brought on board by Alvin Brown has violated the City's own policies.  This is not okay nor is it excusable.  Exasperating this is the reality that after a recent budget cycle of nit picking expenditures and costs to keep our city financially viable we see $736,000.00 tax dollars blown on a gimmick sports event.  This is bad business and bad leadership.  The buck here should not stop with Alan Verlander but with Alvin Brown who fired an experienced city administrator to replace them with this man who happened to be a friend from JU to the tune of $170K.  Pretty shabby job performance to be sure and a lousy selection for the position by Brown.

[Coolyfett]

Not good....

By Mary Kelli Palka

Jacksonville lost nearly $736,000 on the Navy-Marine Corps Classic basketball game and related events, for which vendors weren’t paid for months and at least two laws were violated.

The city hosted a college basketball game aboard a Navy ship in November as part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s Week of Valor. It was also supposed to be a fundraiser with proceeds going to military affairs efforts.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, the city nearly wiped out its sports trust fund to cover those overruns. The account, funded by proceeds from city sporting events, is now down to about $8,300.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-06/story/city-lost-736000-navy-marine-classic-corps-basketball-game-and-events#ixzz2Pm1d8xqV

Its weird to read this after what happened here this weekend in Atlanta. Being that Atlanta is not really an NCAA Basketball hotbed city.

The Mayport game did not turn out right for a lot of reasons. Mainly due to the timing of it. I want to say location to, but thats another story.

[Cheshire Cat]

Not good....

By Mary Kelli Palka

Jacksonville lost nearly $736,000 on the Navy-Marine Corps Classic basketball game and related events, for which vendors weren’t paid for months and at least two laws were violated.

The city hosted a college basketball game aboard a Navy ship in November as part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s Week of Valor. It was also supposed to be a fundraiser with proceeds going to military affairs efforts.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, the city nearly wiped out its sports trust fund to cover those overruns. The account, funded by proceeds from city sporting events, is now down to about $8,300.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-04-06/story/city-lost-736000-navy-marine-classic-corps-basketball-game-and-events#ixzz2Pm1d8xqV

Its weird to read this after what happened here this weekend in Atlanta. Being that Atlanta is not really an NCAA Basketball hotbed city.

The Mayport game did not turn out right for a lot of reasons. Mainly due to the timing of it. I want to say location to, but thats another story.

Weird, perhaps but clearly several of the City's own procurement rules were violated so this is a much more serious problem than simply a poorly timed event.  When someone is making 170K and their job is to decide what is or is not a good and viable investment of City funds and fails to the tune of $760,000.00 we are talking about a situation that is untenable considering the financial situation this city is in.  This is a very serious and sizable amount of money that has depleted what was supposedly a fund for sports events.  I wonder if Alvin will fire his sports Czar, also a friend making over 60K as there is no money left for these type of endeavors? 

[cline]

I wonder if Alvin will fire his sports Czar, also a friend 

I'm not a Brown apologist but Alan Verlander isn't just some random dude that Brown hired.  He does have qualifications to be in that position as former Athletic Director at JU as well as a position at Samford.  He contributed to bringing the NCAA tournament here in 2006 and 2010.  I'm not saying the Navy-Marine Bball game wasn't completely botched, but to imply that he is some random Brown lackey with no credentials is inaccurate. 

[fieldafm]

I wonder if Alvin will fire his sports Czar, also a friend 

I'm not a Brown apologist but Alan Verlander isn't just some random dude that Brown hired.  He does have qualifications to be in that position as former Athletic Director at JU as well as a position at Samford.  He contributed to bringing the NCAA tournament here in 2006 and 2010.  I'm not saying the Navy-Marine Bball game wasn't completely botched, but to imply that he is some random Brown lackey with no credentials is inaccurate.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Also, when you say 'contributed'... he and Joel Lamp singlehandidly brought the NCAA tournament to Jax, as well as MANY other sporting events.

Let's learn from what went wrong and make things better the next time.  Having the grit and determination to try something new (amidst a City Council that have tried to stop them every step of the way) is the very definition of bold leadership.  Not everything works, and when it doesn't you learn from it.

The Navy Classic was an opportunity that came into Verlander's lap within literally his first day on the job. 

[dougskiles]

I wonder if Alvin will fire his sports Czar, also a friend 

I'm not a Brown apologist but Alan Verlander isn't just some random dude that Brown hired.  He does have qualifications to be in that position as former Athletic Director at JU as well as a position at Samford.  He contributed to bringing the NCAA tournament here in 2006 and 2010.  I'm not saying the Navy-Marine Bball game wasn't completely botched, but to imply that he is some random Brown lackey with no credentials is inaccurate.

I wholeheartedly agree.

As do I.

Not every experiment works out the way you want.  But if you sit on your hands and never try anything new, nothing new and exciting ever happens.