Jeff Ream Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 DCA to Rochester - - as someone who has attended the last two years and now heading into my third...... Let me say this.Rochester - the downtown area is nothing to get all excited about. In fact, if it weren't for the DCA participants and attendees, I have a feeling the streets would be all but barren. Food availability is limited and where you can get it, you would think the restaurants after all these years would learn when the show is in town and put on additional staff. The various hotels are more than accomodating and I have stayed at two different places and they are glad for the business and defintely support their paying visitors. In terms of the show and what the city supports, I know nothing of it. I am supposing that it is significant because of the consistent return to this venue. However, lets go to the crowd - - I think DCA should provide gate counts for each of the events, so the people who are interested can get a sense of what kind of scope of service that needs to be provided. I didn't see a bid package, but it seems to me that the last two years and going into another tough financial year for all of us - - that the attendance has been down. In order to be real about moving or not - - lets not throw around attendance numbers, "like I was at the alumni spec. event and there was easily 4000 people - when in actuality it was about 700"........ For those interested in pursuing this as an event bid package that is critical. I am highly suspect of numbers like 10000 attendance or whatever else that has been thrown around.... Both as spectators and participants, we can all claim to be able to eyeball crowds, but it is never accurate. I personally don't mind the travel to Rochester and I have family in Buffalo, so I usually spend time with them and they get to see us perform. But I also think that realistically - - moving based on attendance, which is ONE good assessment of viability, needs to be accurate and not on what someone said they thought the gate was or how full the stands "looked." i dont know actual attendance numbers, but i did hear that the difference between 07 and 08 was about 600 fans less over the course of the weekend...and thats with the economy. however, the place still looks packed out to the end zones, and thats something DCA hasnt seen since Allentown in the 80s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-EVortex Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Additional funds offered to voting members DOES NOT lure them into an area outside the traditional NE or help with a bid....just saying. I heard that indeed was done for the Winston-Salem show a few years back. Btw, it's not really the extra money that goes to the corps that is the major factor...who's going to give extra money to those fans to go to Orlando or all these places in the South, Midwest, West for DCA championships? You have to consider the fan-base of DCA championships. Move it to Miami; you might be able to pay the corps to go but you're not going to get enough butts in the seats too. PLUS be sure to include time travel in your bid proposal for San Antonio, Riverside or Orlando, remember now for those locales they also become corps that have to take an extra day to travel to get there and get home- that in an of itself will help prevent a move from the NE. There's lots more to consider than you all have discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 i dont know actual attendance numbers, but i did hear that the difference between 07 and 08 was about 600 fans less over the course of the weekend...and thats with the economy.however, the place still looks packed out to the end zones, and thats something DCA hasnt seen since Allentown in the 80s rochester has always been packed. people from rochester love drum corps. they have since the early 50's. people are #####ing because they want it closer to home. i understand that but in order for DCA to survive it has to be where they can make money. as for the food there if you can't find good food it's your own fault. they have many great restuarants. and as for downtown there is always something going on. it's never barren of people. this stuff i'm reading is crap. it's a great venue. all of you who have those complaints go home and cry on mommies shoulder. sorry but that's just how i feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UWGKKpsi Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 HA!! Imagine being on the field, in that weather with an ELVIS outfit on..... !! Another good thing on Rochester -- Cheap Air Tran flights from Orlando !! Hey Vic (and others), AirTran has a sale to Rochester right now. From Atlanta it's 89.00 each way. From DFW it's 115 each way. From MSP it's 153 each way. From Orlando it's 94 each way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 rochester has always been packed. people from rochester love drum corps. they have since the early 50's. people are #####ing because they want it closer to home. i understand that but in order for DCA to survive it has to be where they can make money.as for the food there if you can't find good food it's your own fault. they have many great restuarants. and as for downtown there is always something going on. it's never barren of people. this stuff i'm reading is crap. it's a great venue. all of you who have those complaints go home and cry on mommies shoulder. sorry but that's just how i feel. well, you are true about finding stuff downtown, but maybe the words used help turn people against the city. hey i wasnt thrilled tacking on an extra 3 hours drive, but we've come to like the place. The High Falls district up the street from the hq hotel is loaded with stuff, and every year people put tons of links on here to help show people around town. i will say this...i know Scranton well. while i liked some amenities at the stadium better, the city of Rochester in general blows it away. and thats knowing hate being in a car for over 2 hours. but telling people to go home and cry on mommy isnt helping win converts to Rachacha. it only feeds the anger, and DCA cant afford to #### off people customers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asop Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 PLUS be sure to include time travel in your bid proposal for San Antonio, Riverside or Orlando, remember now for those locales they also become corps that have to take an extra day to travel to get there and get home- that in an of itself will help prevent a move from the NE. There's lots more to consider than you all have discussed. Yes, like Labor Day weekend is the height of the hurricane season in the tropics, and while the Mouse hasn't seen a major storm, hurricane Charlie hit land with 109mph winds on 8/13/04 and went right up through Orlando. Hurricane Francis passed just south of the area on 9/5/04, exiting the state with wind speed up to 105mph. Try wearing a shako in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davla00 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 (edited) rochester has always been packed. people from rochester love drum corps. they have since the early 50's. people are #####ing because they want it closer to home. i understand that but in order for DCA to survive it has to be where they can make money.as for the food there if you can't find good food it's your own fault. they have many great restuarants. and as for downtown there is always something going on. it's never barren of people. this stuff i'm reading is crap. it's a great venue. all of you who have those complaints go home and cry on mommies shoulder. sorry but that's just how i feel. -------------- Obviously an answer supplied by the intelligencia of DCA members...... Rochester isn't perfect, no place is. And if there is someone or some city out there that is as enthusiastic or more, and can supply the few amenities that Rochester does (and just for your reference my sister works every day of her life in the city down the block from the two major corp hotels - and she told me "everyone works there, but no one stays there" - - meaning the city empties after 5pm and it did) and makes DCA "sense" for travel (as much as it can, because we all come from different spots) and can keep DCA out in the public eye and promote the event - - my vote is for those on this thread who want to bid - - DO IT. There is absolutely nothing bad that can come out of a little competition for the business that DCA brings - - and that keeps things fresh, keeps sponsors on their toes, and keeps DCA out in the competitive business of event management. If you can't accept that or you take it as a complaint, you are the problem. Not the rest of those (including me) who have been open to the concept that DCA can be hosted by another city and done equally as well or better...... And I have read through this entire thread to find one ounce of whining and I am sorry, but I think you are the one misinterpreting the comments being made here..... Everyone has an opinion and because it doesn't agree with yours doesn't mean that it is whining. And I agree with the poster who said that it is this type of attitude that turns people away - - it is this type of back in the day, I know what is best for drum corps attitude because I am 110 years old and still have crust on my horn attitude that leads to organizations dying....................... Edited March 17, 2009 by davla00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 well, you are true about finding stuff downtown, but maybe the words used help turn people against the city.hey i wasnt thrilled tacking on an extra 3 hours drive, but we've come to like the place. The High Falls district up the street from the hq hotel is loaded with stuff, and every year people put tons of links on here to help show people around town. i will say this...i know Scranton well. while i liked some amenities at the stadium better, the city of Rochester in general blows it away. and thats knowing hate being in a car for over 2 hours. but telling people to go home and cry on mommy isnt helping win converts to Rachacha. it only feeds the anger, and DCA cant afford to #### off people customers your right but i hate the whinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 --------------Obviously an answer supplied by the intelligencia of DCA members...... Rochester isn't perfect, no place is. And if there is someone or some city out there that is as enthusiastic or more, and can supply the few amenities that Rochester does (and just for your reference my sister works every day of her life in the city down the block from the two major corp hotels - and she told me "everyone works there, but no one stays there" - - meaning the city empties after 5pm and it did. One night my husband had to go get cold medicine and there was one single drug store located in a so called downtown mall, that had one other store in it - the rest were for rent), and makes DCA "sense" for travel (as much as it can, because we all come from different spots) and can keep DCA out in the public eye and promote the event - - my vote is for those on this thread who want to bid - - DO IT. There is absolutely nothing bad that can come out of a little competition for the business that DCA brings - - and that keeps things fresh, keeps sponsors on their toes, and keeps DCA out in the competitive business of event management. If you can't accept that or you take it as a complaint, you are the problem. Not the rest of those (including me) who have been open to the concept that DCA can be hosted by another city and done equally as well or better...... And I agree with the poster who said that it is this type of attitude that turns people away - - it is this type of back in the day, I know what is best for drum corps attitude because I am 110 years old and still have crust on my horn attitude that leads to organizations dying....................... all i can say is stay youg and don't get old. when you do your attitude about ' back in the day " will change peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davla00 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 all i can say is stay youg and don't get old. when you do your attitude about ' back in the day " will changepeace ---------------- Age does not excuse rudeness either...... Peace back at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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