Couple holds out hope their party barge idea will find a berth

[thelakelander]

Dawn Emerick is leaving Jacksonville, but her hopes for a party barge remain, at least for a while.
For the past two years, Al and Dawn Emerick have been attempting to bring their barge idea to Jacksonville, anchoring it on the river downtown and hosting a variety of events. It's run into a series of what the Emericks called stumbling blocks, and now a new job has complicated things.

A little more than a year ago, Dawn Emerick was hired as chief executive officer of Groundwork Jacksonville, a nonprofit working to revitalize creeks and create a greenway near downtown. But she's leaving that position early next month to become director of public health in Clackamus County, Ore., in suburban Portland.

Her husband, Al, will remain behind for six to 12 months. Not only does he have his own communication and marketing business here, but he still hopes to get the barge floating.

"I'm still under the impression that there's a path and an opportunity to explore," he said. "If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be staying.

"The biggest roadblock we've got is a place to put it."

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/business/2016-05-10/story/couple-holds-out-hope-their-party-barge-idea-will-find-berth#

[marty904]

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/business/2016-05-10/story/couple-holds-out-hope-their-party-barge-idea-will-find-berth#

Reading that article, all I could visualize is Al going to Aundra like...


I mean seriously... there are so many "we could do this..." in the article.  Did you guys do any leg work at all before hijacking the Southbank Riverwalk ribbon-cutting ceremony?  To make such a claim of "what is coming" when you hadn't even cleared the concept with the USCG or had your mooring plan "shored up"...

Besides, I don't even get what the attraction would be.  You can only fit a handful of people on a barge.  Why not just produce events in the spaces that we already have around Jax, that will actually fit enough people to make an event successful.  Dawn's comment of "we can't make any money" was the only thing that made any sense of this whole foolishness!

[Captain Zissou]

Why not just get Southside Kia to clear out some parking lot space for events?

[Steve]

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/business/2016-05-10/story/couple-holds-out-hope-their-party-barge-idea-will-find-berth#

Reading that article, all I could visualize is Al going to Aundra like...

haha - Amen. I think this is a cool idea, but Aundra said very nicely what I've always felt on this project: With the limited money that DIA has, this is likely not the highest and best use for the property. If they're looking to the DIA to clear red tab then so be it. But for actual money.....not sure I'm onboard.

[TheCat]

I mean seriously... there are so many "we could do this..." in the article.  Did you guys do any leg work at all before hijacking the Southbank Riverwalk ribbon-cutting ceremony?  To make such a claim of "what is coming" when you hadn't even cleared the concept with the USCG or had your mooring plan "shored up"...

Par for the course in my experiences with that guy.  And fantastic Step Brothers usage.

Also, this quote just has so much humor in it to me: "'We've gone to the DIA and asked for support,' she said. 'But we keep being told "Do this and come back." We had great support from Mayor Brown, but we can't get in front of Mayor Curry. We're not feeling like the city is very serious about this."' 
1.  That is a fairly strong endorsement for Curry and 2. Hmmmm, I wonder why the city wouldn't be serious about an idea that was presented with pretty much zero due diligence and focused more on an internet-fad-centric grand opening party than actual thought and serious planning.  Having a bacon-themed party (and, seriously, 2009 much?) is definitely more important than examining whether local regulations and leases will actually allow you to operate.

MMR, I think you have mastered internets.

Criticizing a bacon themed party as out of fashion is brilliant and, I think, the most relevant of the criticisms. 

[Adam White]

Not sure if you are giving me a genuine compliment or not, but if someone is, in the year 2016, holding a "bacon" themed anything, I question his or her marketing-savvy.

Bacon is like the Chuck Norris of foods.

[CityLife]

Seems like a good idea to give people who won't even be living here public dollars to pull off a self serving project.....

Shout out to Aundra Wallace for calling out their BS.

[TheCat]

Not sure if you are giving me a genuine compliment or not, but if someone is, in the year 2016, holding a "bacon" themed anything, I question his or her marketing-savvy.

Genuine.

[CoastalJax]

"The biggest roadblock we've got is a place to put it."

Number one, that's a hell of a roadblock. And number two, that isn't even the biggest roadblock. The biggest roadblock: it's a stupid idea with essentially nonexistent planning.

[Steve]

^Meh. I agree about the location being a big roadblock, but I actually don't think it's a terrible idea. I could see it being a cool event space for certain types of events.

I think the Emericks have a good idea, just not one that I'd throw public money at. If they can fund this privately, then so be it.

[thelakelander]

I can't imagine anything like this being feasible with private money. A wild night at Wacko's would be a more worthwhile investment. Either way, you're going home broke. Might as well have some fun on your way to bankruptcy.

[Steve]

I can't imagine anything like this being feasible with private money. A wild night at Wacko's would be a more worthwhile investment. Either way, you're going home broke. Might as well have some fun on your way to bankruptcy.

I question it as well, given the event space market rate in Jacksonville - it just isn't very expensive. My guess is this: If the Emericks came to the DIA with a full plan, fully funded, and just wanted the DIA's help with the red tape, then I'd like to see them help. It doesn't sound like that happened here.

Has this model worked in other cities of our size?

[Captain Zissou]

I've seen party barges in West Palm during Sunfest.  I wonder if they did any research into the companies that provide those.

[marty904]

I mean seriously... there are so many "we could do this..." in the article.  Did you guys do any leg work at all before hijacking the Southbank Riverwalk ribbon-cutting ceremony?  To make such a claim of "what is coming" when you hadn't even cleared the concept with the USCG or had your mooring plan "shored up"...

Par for the course in my experiences with that guy.  And fantastic Step Brothers usage.

Also, this quote just has so much humor in it to me: "'We've gone to the DIA and asked for support,' she said. 'But we keep being told "Do this and come back." We had great support from Mayor Brown, but we can't get in front of Mayor Curry. We're not feeling like the city is very serious about this."' 
1.  That is a fairly strong endorsement for Curry and 2. Hmmmm, I wonder why the city wouldn't be serious about an idea that was presented with pretty much zero due diligence and focused more on an internet-fad-centric grand opening party than actual thought and serious planning.  Having a bacon-themed party (and, seriously, 2009 much?) is definitely more important than examining whether local regulations and leases will actually allow you to operate.

Thanks MMR! I truly had that visual when I read the article lol...

Yeah, the way they are reacting to the "less than serious" attitude of the DIA - it's clear that they're a bit delusional of their concept's merit/value.  And hear ye, on the bacon tip... As soon as I heard "Bacon & Bourbon" come out of his mouth, the first thing I said was... "Seriously? THAT is their flagship event for this grand party barge?"

[mtraininjax]

Couple holds out hope their party barge idea will find a berth

This story reminds me of that one time on MJ, everyone jumped in and said we needed light rail in the River City....