wolfgang Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) This isn't DCI, but it is relevant to the extent of illustrating how hosting a big marching event in a major city is fraught with challenges. This coming weekend, Bands of America will host the St. Louis Super Regional at the dome where the Rams formerly played. The dome has hosted BOA competitions for 25 years, and (I believe) there has also been another big show in that dome that draws lots of bands from Missouri and Illinois. The link below is from a local news affiliate on the lots where the bands will park. Granted, the BOA event has over 60 groups, and a DCI event at that site would be lucky to get 10 corps, but the situation would be just as dire for corps as for bands. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/residents-disgusted-by-eyesore-weeds-trash-at-dome-downtown/ It just goes to show that someone can host an event, get the city on board, get groups to come, sell tickets, and on top of that there can still be logistical issues (7 foot tall weeds and trash in the lot 5 days prior) that cause huge headaches. Edited October 12, 2022 by wolfgang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 1 minute ago, wolfgang said: This isn't DCI, but it is relevant to the extent of illustrating how hosting a big marching event in a major city is fraught with challenges. This coming weekend, Bands of America will host the St. Louis Super Regional at the dome where the Rams formerly played. The dome has hosted BOA competitions for a quarter century, and (I believe) there has also been another big show in that dome that draws lots of bands from Missouri and Illinois. The link below is from a local news affiliate on the lots where the bands will park. Granted, the BOA event has over 60 groups, and a DCI event at that site would be lucky to get 10 corps, but the situation would be just as dire for corps as for bands. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/residents-disgusted-by-eyesore-weeds-trash-at-dome-downtown/ It just goes to show that someone can host an event, get the city on board, get groups to come, sell tickets, and on top of that there can still be logistical issues (7 foot tall weeds and trash in the lot 5 days prior) that cause huge headaches. oh yes. it's amazing what issues can appear. like finding out 4 days before the event the main road to the staging area is under construction with limited access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Right you are, Jeff! Here’s a good example from the early Allentown years. The night before Friday Prelims, I was told by a friend a CARNIVAL was operating on the lot we used for corps bus parking. You know the space, the gravel lot adjacent to Pineville. Indeed, there WAS a carnival operating that night and was planned to continue throughout the weekend! I arrived to see a full size ferris wheel going round along with about a dozen other rides and various booths. I called friend, and City Council President Watson Skinner to ask for immediate help. As it turned out the carnival operator was the brother of Mayor Joseph Daddona ! The whole thing was torn down that same night and gone by daybreak less than 12 hours later. Prelims gates opened on time at 7:30 am Friday. Phew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 7 minutes ago, Fred Windish said: Right you are, Jeff! Here’s a good example from the early Allentown years. The night before Friday Prelims, I was told by a friend a CARNIVAL was operating on the lot we used for corps bus parking. You know the space, the gravel lot adjacent to Pineville. Indeed, there WAS a carnival operating that night and was planned to continue throughout the weekend! I arrived to see a full size ferris wheel going round along with about a dozen other rides and various booths. I called friend, and City Council President Watson Skinner to ask for immediate help. As it turned out the carnival operator was the brother of Mayor Joseph Daddona ! The whole thing was torn down that same night and gone by daybreak less than 12 hours later. Prelims gates opened on time at 7:30 am Friday. Phew! I remember that one! And even in band and indoor world surprises pop up. in my 10 years of running the Tia championships percussion warmup lot I’ve found out within either days or literally hours we had to move… construction, the normal lot covered by film crew equipment, flood damage… in a way thank god we shut down in 2020 because part of the boardwalk we used to travel to the convention center didn’t exist due to damage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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