No 2014 Ocean Race for Galway??

s_carnage

Report in todays Times states the Ocean Race organisers may not be applying for the 2014 Ocean Race. Applications has to be lodged next month so hopefully this is just a way of getting some state funding towards the project.

It would be a massive blow to Galway considering the 2009 stopover generated €55.8 million. The value of the 2012 one has yet to be calculated but I'd say it would be a good bit higher than that.

THE ORGANISERS of the Galway stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race say they are “unlikely” to make a bid to host the event in 2014-15.

Let’s Do It Global managing director Micheline McNamara confirmed yesterday that no application was being prepared by the company for the next round-world routing, which would have to be lodged by next month.

Meanwhile, the city’s harbour company is to break new ground by seeking to redevelop the port under a section of the EU habitats directive not previously exercised in Ireland.

Galway has hosted the prestigious international ocean race twice – the first Irish port to do so. However, the current not-for-profit funding structure would have to change before Let’s Do It Global could consider running it again, Ms McNamara told The Irish Times.

“We had a phenomenal festival this year with 900,000 people recorded, and we believe there was a massive economic spin-off for the city,” she said. “However, most other ports hosting it do so on a city or state partnership basis, and that’s what would have to happen here for it to return.”

An economic impact study on the 2012 Galway race finish is being prepared by Price Waterhouse consultants in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland.

A Deloitte Touche study of the 2009 stopover estimated the economic impact at €55.8 million with more than 650,000 visitors.

The €4 million fee for hosting this year’s event was paid directly to the Volvo Ocean Race by Fáilte Ireland, and the Galway organisers found it difficult to secure sponsorship in the current economic climate. However, Galway Harbour Company, which closed the port for the nine-day festival, and Galway City Council were major sponsors.

Galway harbour master Capt Brian Sheridan said yesterday that the harbour company would always be willing to open the docks to the event on the city’s behalf but pointed out that the logistics of organising it were very substantial.

Let’s Do It Global relied heavily on voluntary effort, but a number of State agencies – from the Defence Forces to the Marine Institute – participated in hosting events and providing logistical support for the global village.

Galway City Council said that while the event was a success, it would not be in a position to underwrite it. The local authority had given more than €1 million in both cash and kind to the event, and supported a number of festivals in the city throughout the year, a spokesman said.

Galway Chamber of Commerce called on the Government to provide the necessary support to secure a third successful bid for Galway.

Galway Harbour Company chief executive Eamon Bradshaw said that the port intended to break new ground in seeking to exercise a section of the EU habitats directive for its proposed extension. The harbour company plans to build a €200 million deepwater port on reclaimed land.

It had its initial strategic infrastructure application returned last year due to a failure to secure necessary approvals for preliminary investigations.

Mr Bradshaw said that the company was taking a new route, having examined previous planning applications involving sensitive habitats, which had ended up in the European Court of Justice.

He said that an application under article 6.4 of the EU habitats directive for a project classified under “imperative reasons for overriding public interest” would allow for restoration by the developer of a similar-sized area in compensation for potential loss of habitat.

Consultations were in train with An Bord Pleanála and other State agencies on the route for making this application, he said.

Irish Times

Pappa Charlie

In all fairness we cant really expect to get it every second year, let not kill the golden goose, some people are never happy!

s_carnage

Pappa Charlie wrote: »

In all fairness we cant really expect to get it every second year, let not kill the golden goose, some people are never happy!

In all fairness that isn't what the article is about. If it was the Ocean Race organisers giving it to another city then fine your points stand. This article is stating our organisers probably can't go ahead with an application because of funding. When you look at the amount of revenue the ocean race generates for the local economy it should be a no brainer to back the festival.

nuac

Did all the various sectors of the Galway business community stump up the amounts expected by this years organisers.?

Sponge Bob

nuac wrote: »

Did all the various sectors of the Galway business community stump up the amounts expected by this years organisers.?

Nope, especially the publicans.

ilovesleep

Well I hope Galway applies and something is pulled off in regards to funding because in all fairness VOR week was a fantastic week and I'm the sure there were many benefits to the week. Like an increase in tourism and since it's a global sporting event that came to our shores and it was a great success Galway it put Galway out there with a good name to many people across the world. I'd say we could be reaping the rewards for some time. The people of Galway loved it and many were proud of Galway. It did wonders at lifting spirits, and goodness knows that something we need especially in these recessionary times when things are tough for people.

s_carnage

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Nope, especially the publicans.

And there lies the problem. I'd imagine they have the most to gain from the week so they really should be donating money to the event. Every night of the week there pubs are packed and God knows how much they made that week but to give nothing back is a bit of a joke.

ilovesleep

Can we scrap the ballybrit horse racing and replace it with the volvo ocean race?

Lapin

ilovesleep wrote: »

Can we scrap the ballybrit horse racing and replace it with the volvo ocean race?

No.

snubbleste

I don't hear the Quilt Festival organisers cribbing and moaning about the potential lack of public or business funding.

Lapin

snubbleste wrote: »

I don't hear the Quilt Festival organisers - Ever.

FYP.

Storm 10

snubbleste wrote: »

I don't hear the Quilt Festival organisers cribbing and moaning about the potential lack of public or business funding.

I heard through the grapevine that they had a loss on that one due to the same thing with people promising x amount then not paying, same thing happened with the Air Show. The people who make the most seem to give the smallest.

Lapin

The Galway Races are an established annual fixture on the Galway calandar and bring in oover €50M+ every year.

The VOR more than paid for itself on both occasions it was here and will continue to do so as the positive publicity it generated for Galway will continue to attract visitors for some time to come.

If the reason why Galway isn't bidding to host the event again is purely down to funding, then someone needs their backside kocked up and down the prom until they see sense.

Apart from the badly needed cash this event generates for the city and surrounds, it also takes a lot of people off the dole for a few weeks, and most importantly of all, gives hundreds of thousands of us something to look forward to, celebrate and feel good about. The fact that the race organisers have expressed a desire to return should be reason enough to put in a bid for their return.

I've never heard of Snubbleste's Quilt Festival but if it brings in as much as the VOR does, I'm all for it.

snubbleste

Lapin wrote: »

I've never heard of Snubbleste's Quilt Festival but if it brings in as much as the VOR does, I'm all for it.

It's not my Quilt Festival. It was covered in this very forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056665060

Lapin

snubbleste wrote: »

It's not my Quilt Festival. It was covered in this very forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056665060

Jaysus - I missed out there !

Acoshla

That Quilt Festival was massive, a friend of mine was working at it, he couldn't believe the scale of it.

lampsie

Reading the article this morning, just seemed to me like the VOR organisers saying, here, we've shouldered the risk of running this thing twice, now would ye feck off and fund this thing directly - article in general looking like a firm nudge daring the council et al to just try and not fund it, and see how many people from Galway and beyond come banging on their door to complain...

Mrs OBumble

Acoshla wrote: »

That Quilt Festival was massive, a friend of mine was working at it, he couldn't believe the scale of it.

Ladies who have the leisure time to sew generally have money, that's why it was huge. Google "scrapbooking" to find out about a similar industry, with similar sized conferences.

Back on topic, Let's Do it Galway is a non-governmental organisation that bid for and organised the first two VOR stop-overs here.

I'm 99% sure that I read somewhere that they believe it's now time for an official Irish organisation (ie central or local government) to take over the bidding for the event - and I guess providing the workng capital and taking the financial risk if sponsors fail to pay up.

Am pretty sure that what we're seeing now is part of their media campaign to kick the appropriate agencies into gear - or (best case) it might be part of the process of telling us that the council is taking it over. Ie LDIG pulls out, the council (or whoever) comes in as a white-knight and puts in a bid at the last minute, so gets the public on side.

beeintheknow

sure that Ocean Race is just full of sluts anyway.

bluecode

It's going to be another classic Galway foot shooting moment. The list is long and going to get longer, the Airport, the airshow etc. Galway's businesses are happy to rake in the extra cash all these events bring in but God forbid they reinvest some of it so they can do it all again next time.

The organisers themselves are as much to blame. Not applying is not going to shock the government into funding it. They won't.

I really don't understand why people expect the government to step in for something like this. It's fairly clear that there's money to be made from it. Where is the entrepenurial spirit?

If the race doesn't come back to Galway, that's a shame but the government won't lose any sleep over it. Nor will most people.

galwayrush

bluecode wrote: »

It's going to be another classic Galway foot shooting moment. The list is long and going to get longer, the Airport, the airshow etc. Galway's businesses are happy to rake in the extra cash all these events bring in but God forbid they reinvest some of it so they can do it all again next time.

The organisers themselves are as much to blame. Not applying is not going to shock the government into funding it. They won't.

I really don't understand why people expect the government to step in for something like this. It's fairly clear that there's money to be made from it. Where is the entrepenurial spirit?

If the race doesn't come back to Galway, that's a shame but the government won't lose any sleep over it. Nor will most people.

Because the Government would make a fortune , the VAT alone on every euro spent at the event would be a massive return on any investment they would make.

fishy fishy

bluecode wrote: »

It's going to be another classic Galway foot shooting moment. The list is long and going to get longer, the Airport, the airshow etc. Galway's businesses are happy to rake in the extra cash all these events bring in but God forbid they reinvest some of it so they can do it all again next time.

The organisers themselves are as much to blame. Not applying is not going to shock the government into funding it. They won't.

I really don't understand why people expect the government to step in for something like this. It's fairly clear that there's money to be made from it. Where is the entrepenurial spirit?

If the race doesn't come back to Galway, that's a shame but the government won't lose any sleep over it. Nor will most people.

just a quick question. who funds it in the first place - I mean who erects the stages, the security, the barriers, the insurance, etc. who pays for all the big bands that come play for free. serious question - where does all this money come from.

I can't see how they make money realistically from it.

vkid

bluecode wrote: »

I really don't understand why people expect the government to step in for something like this. It's fairly clear that there's money to be made from it. Where is the entrepenurial spirit?

If the race doesn't come back to Galway, that's a shame but the government won't lose any sleep over it. Nor will most people.

Have to agree with you. Not sure why anyone thinks the government should fund this. Galway does pretty well all told from vents like these , and to be fair from government coffers. There are far more pressing things for government money to spent on than a boat race tbh

ir555

vkid wrote: »

Have to agree with you. Not sure why anyone thinks the government should fund this. Galway does pretty well all told from vents like these , and to be fair from government coffers. There are far more pressing things for government money to spent on than a boat race tbh

and where do you think the money to be spent on more pressing things come from?

from the revenue generated from events like these.

it is hard to believe the opinions above. the government make the biggest return from the VOR through taxes etc.. so why shouldn't they invest a few bob to win the event again and then get a massive return for their money.

why should it be down to a few volunteers to bust thier nuts on a shoe string budget of promises to try win it again. they have amazed the rest of the world by winning the stopover twice.. its about time the government stepped in and give it the support it deserves.

for example I ask anyone to think of the following...

do you think the return on investment for the millions pumped into Failte Ireland is as good as the relatively small funds needed to secure another volvo stopover?

the answer is obvious

D

It is the free rider problem - any individual bar, restaurant, hotel, laundry, fruit and veg provider or whoever will benefit whether or not they make a direct contribution to the cost of running the VOR.

fishy fishy

just a quick question. who funds it in the first place - I mean who erects the stages, the security, the barriers, the insurance, etc. who pays for all the big bands that come play for free. serious question - where does all this money come from.

I can't see how they make money realistically from it.

vkid

ir555 wrote: »

and where do you think the money to be spent on more pressing things come from?

from the revenue generated from events like these.

To be fair approx 15 billion or so is being borrowed from the Toika this year to keep the show on the road. events like the VOR are a very very small part of returns to government coffers.

The VOR is a good thing, but don't over estimate its importance to the wider country. WE can barely afford to keep hospital services running and people want the government to pay for the running of the VOR?

Get Real.

ir555

vkid wrote: »

The VOR is a good thing, but don't over estimate its importance to the wider country. WE can barely afford to keep hospital services running and people want the government to pay for the running of the VOR?
Get Real.

You need to get real and so does this government and think of the country like a business.

The VOR should be treated as an individual business project.

It costs X amount to host it. It results in X + ?% revenue to the government. Even if the "free riders" dont contribute they expereince an increase in revenue and therefore an increase in taxes paid to the government.

Its about time we all got real and we start thinking of the country like a business, and stop wasting money.

D

s_carnage

fishy fishy wrote: »

just a quick question. who funds it in the first place - I mean who erects the stages, the security, the barriers, the insurance, etc. who pays for all the big bands that come play for free. serious question - where does all this money come from.

I can't see how they make money realistically from it.

It says in the article that Fáilte Ireland gave the €4 million needed to host this years event. That and along with money from Heineken, Jameson and all the other individual stalls would be the main source of Income for the event. After that it would be relying on local sponsorship and the like. Also they were not doing it to make a profit which is one of the changes they want to see implemented if they do decide to apply for it again.

Of course there is going to be other ways the government spends it's money but this is something that generates approx 100 million for the local economy. It broke attendance records in Ireland for a sporting event too.

vkid

ir555 wrote: »

You need to get real and so does this government and think of the country like a business.

The VOR should be treated as an individual business project.

It costs X amount to host it. It results in X + ?% revenue to the government. Even if the "free riders" dont contribute they expereince an increase in revenue and therefore an increase in taxes paid to the government.

Its about time we all got real and we start thinking of the country like a business, and stop wasting money.

D

You are still overestimating the contribution of the VOR to the tax take as a whole.. and similar events.

I agree, they do need to run the country as a business,but essentially you are asking them to use borrowed money( + interest) to fund a boat race in Galway, that they didnt fund the first two times it happened.

If we had a completely balanced budget and low levels of debt, then work away...but it would be madness to fund this from government coffers...while cutting front line services in health, education, welfare etc.

Its time the main benefactors of the VOR stumped up the cash to run the thing..ie the hotels, the pubs, the restaurants, the city etc

fishy fishy

fishy fishy wrote: »

just a quick question. who funds it in the first place - I mean who erects the stages, the security, the barriers, the insurance, etc. who pays for all the big bands that come play for free. serious question - where does all this money come from.

I can't see how they make money realistically from it.

Discover Ireland spend €4million as a fee presumably to VOR.
The city council spent €1million on works and in kind.
The organizing company sought sponsors to pay for the rest.

The benefit to the state is difficult to quantify - how much extra is spent that wouldn't have been spent otherwise or elsewhere? How much did the traffic disruption and congestion cost other sectors?

It is easy to say Galway depends on tourism and that that it is obvious the government should pay for this (to a greater extent than they already do) but more people are employed in manufacturing, health or education than in accommodation and food service in this city.

Re treating it like a business: If I went to my employers tomorrow and said we should spend €5million+ on a project but I can't quantify any return I would be laughed out of it. A society isn't a business.

(my views on this might be influenced by looking at the taxes on my payslip this morning)

2011
Galway City
Agriculture, forestry and fishing (A) 168
Mining and quarrying (B) 31
Manufacturing (C) 4,172
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (D) 86
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (E) 137
Construction (F) 905
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G) 4,187
Transportation and storage (H) 876
Accommodation and food service activities (I) 3,123
Information and communication (J) 1,573
Financial and insurance activities (K) 1,199
Real estate activities (L) 162
Professional, scientific and technical activities (M) 1,504
Administrative and support service activities (N) 1,043
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (O) 1,443
Education (P) 3,463
Human health and social work activities (Q) 3,894
Arts, entertainment and recreation (R) 543
Other service activities (S) 699
Activities of households as employers producing activities of households for own use (T) 29
Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies (U) 4
Industry not stated 2,316
Total at work 31,557
Unemployed Looking for first regular job 654
Unemployed, having lost or given up previous job 6,580
Total in labour force 38,791