One of the biggest events of the year that draws thousands Downtown has been cancelled. I look forward to this every year, what a shame!
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/topstories/article/223313/483/Lights-Out-Jacksonville-Lighted-Boat-Parade-Nixed
The operating costs for the boat parade wasn't all that expensive at 107,000. It's not like it was 1.5 million or something that can really justify the 'cost cutting'. It's definitely not a good thing when a city's annual tradition is cancelled, esp one that was well liked like the boat parade.
and the excuse of it didnt pass a cost benefit ratio test is crap. How do you measure thousands of kids and adults having a great time, enjoying the riverfront Downtown and watching a huge firework display? this is lame and to me goes against the Mayor's platform of attracting people downtown.
For the past five years we have always gotten a riverview room at the Hyatt for the event. We ate at the resteraunts and hit the bars dowtown before and after the show. Many people did the same thing and Hyatt was full for at least that night. 107k does not seem like too much for an annual event of that size...
This was a pretty silly thing to cut entirely. Sure, it costs money, but it also draws thousands to downtown. How much will the local businesses lose at the Landing alone? They should be expanding on this stuff and building tradition, and they're doing the opposite.
hey...this is what we voted for....no new taxes and fees means making cuts!
btw...rumor has it New Year's fireworks are also gone...although the downtown hotels are still lobbying and there may be a potential partnership with the Gator Bowl.
No matter how many times I see it, the waterfall fireworks off the bridges give me goosebumps. Absolutely my favorite city sponsored event. This is another sad example of our city government being ass backwards.
If you had to choose between waterfall fireworks and libraries staying open, which would you choose?
Quotethis is lame and to me goes against the Mayor's platform of attracting people downtown.
I smell a HAND having a HAND in this. Maybe time to wash the HAND of too much power.....First poor Alice Newman, now the cancellation of the boat parade and 4th of July Fireworks. But hey, we do have the Veteran's Parade, Fishing with the seniors, A lovely canning operation on the westside for your vegetables, and a great recycling program....
Mayor Brown is quickly making friends and influencing people, first 100 days have been a Bang, so we had to cut the fireworks. Not sure what Hogan would have done, but I seriously doubt he would have cut fireworks or the parade, 2 events that fire up downtown businesses and help to draw people downtown. Boo on Mayor Brown!!!!!
@mtrain, I believe it's only NYE fireworks that are cancelled, not 4th of July. Apparently the Gator Bowl committee is/was trying to find a way to make NYE fireworks happen.
Can't believe this about the boat parade tho... although the cost seems rather high. Maybe if they just cut the fireworks at the end of it, they could do it for much cheaper.
Rockstar - Jax Beach already cancelled their 4th of July fireworks for 2012. So its not entirely that far off for COJ to do the same.
Quote from: mtraininjax on October 20, 2011, 10:14:49 AM
Quotethis is lame and to me goes against the Mayor's platform of attracting people downtown.
I smell a HAND having a HAND in this. Maybe time to wash the HAND of too much power.....First poor Alice Newman, now the cancellation of the boat parade and 4th of July Fireworks. But hey, we do have the Veteran's Parade, Fishing with the seniors, A lovely canning operation on the westside for your vegetables, and a great recycling program....
Mayor Brown is quickly making friends and influencing people, first 100 days have been a Bang, so we had to cut the fireworks. Not sure what Hogan would have done, but I seriously doubt he would have cut fireworks or the parade, 2 events that fire up downtown businesses and help to draw people downtown. Boo on Mayor Brown!!!!!
With the new reorganization plans, Chris Hand effectively becomes a little mini-mayor.
it sure seems that way.
Quote from: mtraininjax on October 20, 2011, 11:24:15 AM
Rockstar - Jax Beach already cancelled their 4th of July fireworks for 2012. So its not entirely that far off for COJ to do the same.
I'm hoping that the COJ administration is at least smarter than the City of Jax Beach.
I understand budgets are tight but at 107k this seem almost penny wise, pound foolish. Then again, when your administration is cutting police left and right it's a little absurd to say we've got the money for a boat parade.
Yeah, but why not cut it from, say, $100,000 to $75,000 or $50,000, rather than just giving it the ax entirely. The return on investement has to be considered with this kind of thing. It's bothersome because this is a big downtown event, and Brown was the downtown-oriented candidate.
what I would like someone to help me understand is, what would you like see be cut. As citizens we say "dont raise taxes". Well taxes were not rasied, so drastic cuts have to be made. Then we say " dont cut libraries, dont cut JSO, dont lay people off, dont cut the boat parade." Im started to wonder sometime how realistic were being. We want the city to have a balance budget and not raise taxez, but we dont want ANYTHING cut. Thats not viturally possiable. Reality it, this country as whole is barely hanging on. We are still board line great depression #2. We are in terriable time wheather anybody wants to admit it or not. im not saying I support cutting a huge downtown event such as the boat parade, but if this country as a whole doesnt shape up there wont be a boat parade, fireworks, etc. I just feel like the times we live in we shouldnt have a cow about a boat parade. Im just happy to have a job and a roof over my head in this impossiable economy.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on October 21, 2011, 01:46:15 PM
what I would like someone to help me understand is, what would you like see be cut. As citizens we say "dont raise taxes". Well taxes were not rasied, so drastic cuts have to be made. Then we say " dont cut libraries, dont cut JSO, dont lay people off, dont cut the boat parade." Im started to wonder sometime how realistic were being. We want the city to have a balance budget and not raise taxez, but we dont want ANYTHING cut.
this is a problem at all levels of government...which is why the whole "no new taxes ever" thing is so stupid!
Quote from: tufsu1 on October 21, 2011, 02:42:13 PM
Quote from: duvaldude08 on October 21, 2011, 01:46:15 PM
what I would like someone to help me understand is, what would you like see be cut. As citizens we say "dont raise taxes". Well taxes were not rasied, so drastic cuts have to be made. Then we say " dont cut libraries, dont cut JSO, dont lay people off, dont cut the boat parade." Im started to wonder sometime how realistic were being. We want the city to have a balance budget and not raise taxez, but we dont want ANYTHING cut.
this is a problem at all levels of government...which is why the whole "no new taxes ever" thing is so stupid!
+100 if we dont feel it one way, were going to feel it another.
Why not just eliminate the (completely unnecessary, bordering on cheesy) fireworks display at the end of the boat parade? Do we really need fireworks a month before the bigger New Year's Eve show? According to the article, the fireworks accounted for approximatey half the cost of the boat parade. So that whittles it down to just over $50,000. Find some sponsors, cut a few thousand dollars from some lesser festivals, and maintain what has turned into one of the great yearly traditions in Jacksonville. I just don't get this one.
Quote from: KenFSU on October 21, 2011, 03:02:19 PM
Why not just eliminate the (completely unnecessary, bordering on cheesy) fireworks display at the end of the boat parade? Do we really need fireworks a month before the bigger New Year's Eve show? According to the article, the fireworks accounted for approximatey half the cost of the boat parade. So that whittles it down to just over $50,000. Find some sponsors, cut a few thousand dollars from some lesser festivals, and maintain what has turned into one of the great yearly traditions in Jacksonville. I just don't get this one.
That I agree with. Just scale it back some. We shouldnt have canceled it.
any chance the landing and/or the riverfront hotels may step up and take over the event?
Quote from: knhknh on October 21, 2011, 05:24:42 PM
any chance the landing and/or the riverfront hotels may step up and take over the event?
Thats what need to happen. In the times were in, partnerships and donations are the way to get things.
There may be hope yet for the parade:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-10-28/story/jacksonville-pulled-plug-boats-light-parade-it-may-be-rekindling
Well lets hope so. I know money is tight, but anything that gets people to DT Jax should not be cancelled.
Quote from: knhknh on October 21, 2011, 05:24:42 PM
any chance the landing and/or the riverfront hotels may step up and take over the event?
The Landing and Riverfront hotels depend on this event every year, yes, but the hotels and Landing are all suffering overall and wouldn't be able to fork out that kind of money. It needs to come from one of our major corporations/Fortune 500 companies...Fidelity/CSX/Winn-Dixie or banking, etc.
What about the money the city made from Fl/Ga game?
Can't they use that extra money to save the boat parade?
Other than fireworks, security and clean up, what are the costs?
Don't people put their own boats in the parade?
I'm sure the city doesn't pay them to participate.
^The city pays for the fireworks which were the bulk of the cost. Hopefully this can go forward without the city paying for that.
I heard today that the boat parade will be saved by a non-profit group....but they need to raise $75,000 in the next month
The City will host/update the event's website and the group will get prizes donated.
I doubt without the fireworks, the crowds will be as big as past parades. I am sorry, but the fireworks are the huge draw for this event. Who pays for the fireworks when they light the Christmas Tree at the Landing, the day before the boat parade?
We are 3 weeks from the event. So what are they going to do...wait till the week of the event to tell us if they raised the money or not?
Does not give people a lot of time to make plans.
Quote from: Tacachale on October 21, 2011, 01:46:03 PM
Yeah, but why not cut it from, say, $100,000 to $75,000 or $50,000, rather than just giving it the ax entirely. The return on investement has to be considered with this kind of thing. It's bothersome because this is a big downtown event, and Brown was the downtown-oriented candidate.
It is my understanding the cut back was initiated by the Peyton administration.
Quote from: north miami on November 06, 2011, 11:45:38 AM
Quote from: Tacachale on October 21, 2011, 01:46:03 PM
Yeah, but why not cut it from, say, $100,000 to $75,000 or $50,000, rather than just giving it the ax entirely. The return on investement has to be considered with this kind of thing. It's bothersome because this is a big downtown event, and Brown was the downtown-oriented candidate.
It is my understanding the cut back was initiated by the Peyton administration.
No surprise there.
^Peyton would have had little to say about a budget that took effect the October after he left office, and that his successor busted his hump putting together since July. The event went on last year under Peyton.
Light Parade is back on!
Jacksonville Light Parade
11/26/2011
Downtown Riverfront
Due to a public-private partnership with local supporters, the 2011 Jacksonville Light Parade is back! Whether you're a seafarer or landlubber, you are sure to be dazzled by the annual Jacksonville Light Parade. The parade has become a tradition for thousands of families and out-of-town guests who eagerly await the transformation of the St. Johns River. Boats of every shape and size are adorned with decorations that captivate senses and stimulate imaginations. This enchanted night is topped off by a fireworks display like no other, featuring the signature bridge "waterfalls." Admission is free.
http://www.makeascenedowntown.com/Events/Jacksonville-Light-Parade.aspx
They must have raised a lot of money because it says they are doing the big fireworks display on Saturday (as usual) and also doing a fireworks display on Friday with the tree lighting!
Quote from: Tacachale on November 07, 2011, 02:06:15 PM
^Peyton would have had little to say about a budget that took effect the October after he left office, and that his successor busted his hump putting together since July. The event went on last year under Peyton.
Predicting the future is........well......easy, what the dang heck! ( all on page 3)
The Forward Shifts are the roughies........
after speaking with come of the city insiders, the fireworks were a cutback from our current mayor, and rightly so. He has to cut the budget, and this was on the chopping block. However, he did work to bring a Public/Private partnership to get the event paid for, and even though I did not vote for him, the public/private partnership is the right way to do this, as we all benefit from these events, and if we want them, we should pay for them, with those who benefit the most, paying the way.
Quote from: mtraininjax on November 24, 2011, 12:04:59 AM
as we all benefit from these events, and if we want them, we should pay for them, with those who benefit the most, paying the way.
and since we all benefit, shouldn't we all pay (i.e., taxes)?
Quote from: tufsu1 on November 24, 2011, 03:00:26 PM
Quote from: mtraininjax on November 24, 2011, 12:04:59 AM
as we all benefit from these events, and if we want them, we should pay for them, with those who benefit the most, paying the way.
and since we all benefit, shouldn't we all pay (i.e., taxes)?
Remember Comrade TUFSU1, in the world of some of our friends...
"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS."
Perhaps we should all remember that in spite of our recent mayoral rebellion,"Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey."
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: tufsu1 on November 24, 2011, 03:00:26 PM
Quote from: mtraininjax on November 24, 2011, 12:04:59 AM
as we all benefit from these events, and if we want them, we should pay for them, with those who benefit the most, paying the way.
and since we all benefit, shouldn't we all pay (i.e., taxes)?
I keep telling myself.... "I will not snap back a nasty comment to this.... I only want to because I'm quitting smoking..... I will not snap back a nasty comment to this....."
Deeeeep breaths.
My (gentle) response? No.
The Boat Parade was as good as the past years... not sure it was as well attended but the boats were well done and the fireworks spectacular.
Community First Credit Union announced a sponsorship with the parade that will ensure funding til atleast 2016.
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/10/14/community-first-credit-union-picking-up-the-tab.html
Good news.
Agreed! This is an event that the city gets right!