No DCA Finals Post-Retreat/Parking Lot Run-Through

[taters]

So that it doesn't come as a surprise to you next weekend, you need to be aware that some of the neighbors in the area of the stadium have been talking with Rochester city officials. As a result the Mayor’s Office has gotten involved.

The Mayor's Office has informed the local organizing committee that after the competition finishes in the stadium on Sunday night, the corps absolutely MAY NOT gather in the streets and parking lots and play a final concert. No argument. No debate. This same directive would apply after Prelims on Saturday.

If any corps violates the city's directive, the police WILL become involved and DCA will be helpless to do anything when the police begin to issue citations and fines to those who are violating this city directive.

Please talk with your staff about this before arriving in Rochester and develop a plan for what your corps will do when you leave the stadium on Saturday evening. Please inform your members of this new directive before arriving in Rochester.

All the corps left Scranton with a bad taste in their mouth for the Moosic “brown shirts.” We do not want a repeat of that sad experience in Rochester. Consequently, we ask the administration of every corps to make sure that neither your staff nor members do anything imprudent after Championships that will damage the good relationship DCA has worked so hard to establish with both the City of Rochester and the Rochester Police Department.

[Jeff Ream]

well, you'll rarely see me defend the Moosic Sheriff's department but.....

they weren't in the middle of a neighborhood, so yeah they were overboard on this and many other issues.

however....Rhinos Park/Stadium/whatever it's called this year IS in a neighborhood. And in past years, corps have been out there jamming at midnight. So I can see the neighbors having issues with it, even if it does suck for the tradition of post finals parking lot jams.

and FYI.....this could be an issue in other finals sites too down the road. One of the bidders has been known to have tight sound ordinances

[taters]

well, you'll rarely see me defend the Moosic Sheriff's department but.....

they weren't in the middle of a neighborhood, so yeah they were overboard on this and many other issues.

however....Rhinos Park/Stadium/whatever it's called this year IS in a neighborhood. And in past years, corps have been out there jamming at midnight. So I can see the neighbors having issues with it, even if it does suck for the tradition of post finals parking lot jams.

and FYI.....this could be an issue in other finals sites too down the road. One of the bidders has been known to have tight sound ordinances

Oh Well there you have it ..I want to thank you Jeff your statement makes it very easy for me to say goodbye to DCA for good after this year.

[Jeff Ream]

so you'll leave? because people who live near the stadium complain about, what to them, is noise around midnight?

are you ####### kidding me?

we're in THEIR neighborhood dude. In fact many of these people open up their property to park in for LESS than what the stadium lots charge.

i guess courtesy is something you prefer not be a part of. I say to them, "hey, thanks for letting us invade your neighborhood most of the weekend, we'll try to keep the noise down and be done at a reasonable hour."

[drumlaw80]

I am not speaking for anyone but myself --

After years of generating thousands upon thousands, if not collectively millions, of dollars for the city of Rochester over the last several years of holding DCA Championships in their acoustically-awful-for-drum-corps stadium, I find the recent threat from the Mayor's Office of Rochester to have performers arrested for playing an end of season concert after Prelims or Finals to demonstrate a lack of class and gratitude from the City of Rochester. DCA performers have worked hard all year, and one 11-minute standstill after the evening is done is not going to kill anyone. Maybe Mayor McCheese and his cohorts need to demonstrate a little gratitude for the money that has been poured into their city by DCA fans and drum corps.

I would also like to use this opportunity to apologize in advance for what is about to take place during the Crunchy Frog performance on Friday night.

That is all.

Lee Rudnicki

[Fran Haring]

so you'll leave? because people who live near the stadium complain about, what to them, is noise around midnight?

are you ####### kidding me?

we're in THEIR neighborhood dude. In fact many of these people open up their property to park in for LESS than what the stadium lots charge.

i guess courtesy is something you prefer not be a part of. I say to them, "hey, thanks for letting us invade your neighborhood most of the weekend, we'll try to keep the noise down and be done at a reasonable hour."

[taters]

so you'll leave? because people who live near the stadium complain about, what to them, is noise around midnight?

are you ####### kidding me?

we're in THEIR neighborhood dude. In fact many of these people open up their property to park in for LESS than what the stadium lots charge.

i guess courtesy is something you prefer not be a part of. I say to them, "hey, thanks for letting us invade your neighborhood most of the weekend, we'll try to keep the noise down and be done at a reasonable hour."

Yep...an nope I am not kidding. The run through after finals ( or what we call the "mud Run through") are really one of the last entertaining and fun parts of DCA. The idea that this is such a huge problem for only two days and then we are gone just does not sit very well with me. So the message is clearly come to Rochester, spend money in our hotels, bars and restaurants...cuz that's ok but if you make noise after 10PM we are going to send the PoPo out to taze you...sorry not interested.

[84BDsop]

Sorry, Ken....I have to back Jeff here. It's not JUST DCA that uses the facility....it's used for soccer and likely for a lot of other events...and if people aren't cleared out, the residents have to suffer...and I'd guess with people a LOT less entertaining than listening to a Sr corps let 'er rip one last time.

The residents have to be considered....DCA is in THEIR back yard....not yours.

If this were held at Jack Murphy Stadium (Quallcomm for the non-native San Diegans among you), it wound't be an issue, since the nearest house is at least a half a mile away and up a large hill....that is NOT the case at Paetek Park.

It WAS an issue at the Rose Bowl....which is ALSO in a residential area...one reason why we alums couldn't play for BD at the busses. Had I known that in advance, I wouldn't've missed the encore run and gone to my car to get my sop.

Yeah, it sucks not to do the parking lot show....it was a blast to be able to let loose one last time....but get a grip....it's not about you, the corps, or DCA as a whole....it's about the residents who LIVE there and who have had to deal with the disruptions to their evenings ever since the facility was built.

[84BDsop]

Allow me to repeat what I posted in the same thread Taters started:

"Sorry, Ken....I have to back Jeff here. It's not JUST DCA that uses the facility....it's used for soccer and likely for a lot of other events...and if people aren't cleared out, the residents have to suffer...and I'd guess with people a LOT less entertaining than listening to a Sr corps let 'er rip one last time.

The residents have to be considered....DCA is in THEIR back yard....not yours.

If this were held at Jack Murphy Stadium (Quallcomm for the non-native San Diegans among you), it wound't be an issue, since the nearest house is at least a half a mile away and up a large hill....that is NOT the case at Paetek Park.

It WAS an issue at the Rose Bowl....which is ALSO in a residential area...one reason why we alums couldn't play for BD at the busses. Had I known that in advance, I wouldn't've missed the encore run and gone to my car to get my sop.

Yeah, it sucks not to do the parking lot show....it was a blast to be able to let loose one last time....but get a grip....it's not about you, the corps, or DCA as a whole....it's about the residents who LIVE there and who have had to deal with the disruptions to their evenings ever since the facility was built."

Lee....take off your drum corps hat and put on your lawyer hat for a bit....what would you be pleading if you represented the local residents if this were to go to trial?? The discovery process alone would likely show enough late evening usage of Paetek to justify the concern. Can you really get a jury to side against the residents here?

[Grumpy]

The big complaint I have had with these "parking lot encores", is that some of the bigger corps are drowning out the Class A champions while they are in the stadium performing THEIR encore...I noticed that last year, Govies were hard to hear at times because of what was coming from outside the stadium. Same thing happened the year before, IIRC. Reading didn't have problems, but considering that they are at least 3 times the size of Govies, that's not too hard to comprehend. As has been said, the neighborhood has put up with drum corps all weekend by the time Sunday night rolls around, pretty much a full day/night both Saturday and Sunday. They have been gracious hosts for the past several years, close off part of their downtown for a drum corps block party every year. The least we can do in return is thank them for their generosity by keeping quiet at a decent hour...perhaps if corps are allowed to go back to playing themselves off the field, this would be an agreeable compromise....start Finals an hour earlier if you have to, to accomodate it. I think even with the Alumni Spectacular, it would still be doable.