Fest Funds Could Tune Up Edmonton Indy Race
This from today's Edmonton Journal:
Just in the nick of time, it sounds like there may be some federal funding available to offset some of the costs for the Edmonton Indy car race.
Fest Funds Could Tune Up Indy Race
Federal aid program aimed at boosting marquee events
A federal program to boost "marquee festivals" could help pull the Indy out of the red, despite a focus on attendance numbers organizers have not released, say some backers of the race car event.
When the federal government announced the Marquee Tourism Events program in January, there was immediate speculation that some of the $100 million promised for festivals could help the Rexall Edmonton Indy, which cost the city $5.3 million in 2008.
On Monday, the government announced it would provide two years of funding for "significant events that have an established international presence." It laid out two programs -- one for events with overall attendance of at least 250,000 people and another for events with at least 50,000 visitors.
The program would inject $3 million per year to larger events and $1 million per year for smaller ones.
The Indy Race League does not allow for the release of attendance figures. The policy raised eyebrows last year since Northlands, which operates the race and Capital Ex, also withheld attendance figures for the fair -- a first in its 129-year history.
The Capital Ex attendance figures were eventually made public.
Brian Leadbetter, director of government and community relations for Northlands, said he must study details of the government program but anticipates his organization would apply for funding for the Indy, and perhaps the Capital Ex.
If the program is about "economic activity and a tourism draw, the Edmonton Indy would meet those criteria," Leadbetter said.
Coun. Kim Krushell, a city representative on Northlands' board of directors, said it would be "very disappointing" if the Indy couldn't apply to the fund.
"But I suspect the feds want to support events that attract tourists, and the Indy certainly does that. I think there are ways we can probably work with the program parameters. It is challenging, not releasing the figure, there's no doubt about it."
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Trave...422/story.html
Just in the nick of time, it sounds like there may be some federal funding available to offset some of the costs for the Edmonton Indy car race.
Fest Funds Could Tune Up Indy Race
Federal aid program aimed at boosting marquee events
A federal program to boost "marquee festivals" could help pull the Indy out of the red, despite a focus on attendance numbers organizers have not released, say some backers of the race car event.
When the federal government announced the Marquee Tourism Events program in January, there was immediate speculation that some of the $100 million promised for festivals could help the Rexall Edmonton Indy, which cost the city $5.3 million in 2008.
On Monday, the government announced it would provide two years of funding for "significant events that have an established international presence." It laid out two programs -- one for events with overall attendance of at least 250,000 people and another for events with at least 50,000 visitors.
The program would inject $3 million per year to larger events and $1 million per year for smaller ones.
The Indy Race League does not allow for the release of attendance figures. The policy raised eyebrows last year since Northlands, which operates the race and Capital Ex, also withheld attendance figures for the fair -- a first in its 129-year history.
The Capital Ex attendance figures were eventually made public.
Brian Leadbetter, director of government and community relations for Northlands, said he must study details of the government program but anticipates his organization would apply for funding for the Indy, and perhaps the Capital Ex.
If the program is about "economic activity and a tourism draw, the Edmonton Indy would meet those criteria," Leadbetter said.
Coun. Kim Krushell, a city representative on Northlands' board of directors, said it would be "very disappointing" if the Indy couldn't apply to the fund.
"But I suspect the feds want to support events that attract tourists, and the Indy certainly does that. I think there are ways we can probably work with the program parameters. It is challenging, not releasing the figure, there's no doubt about it."
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Trave...422/story.html
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