Topic starter
27/10/2011 10:45 pm
Yesterday, WCPO-TV Channel 9 in Cincinnati reported that the 2012 Tall Stacks Festival has been canceled. The reason given is that there was a lack of corporate sponsorship. This is no doubt true, as Cincy courted and won hosting the 2012 World Choir Competition. The powers that be in Cincinnati have been raising donated monies to cover the cost of the choral event at the expense of another Tall Stacks. Too bad as Tall Stacks was truly a one of a kind world class event. There was no mention made if there could be another Tall Stacks in the future.
28/10/2011 12:39 am
Another boat gathering
And as far as the boats go, there is an opportunity in 2014 to band together in Louisville for the BELLE's 100th anniversary, so there probably wasn't much enthusiasm there for TS either.
28/10/2011 9:10 pm
*RE: 'Nixing' of TALL STACKS*
Hi, Frank, Judy & Steamboating colleagues:
The WCPO-TV squib on TALL STACKS being nixed came as really no surprise to me when I viewed. I attended several meetings beginning last November and came away from each scratching my head, wondering with no small sense of doubt. The one group starting all over again--from scratch. "More big entertainment venues this time," I heard. "Even if all the cruise passenger boats out of service we could convince the big gambling boats to attend." [!] The initial 'seed money,' as initially reported, escalated, spiraled, mushroomed up to in excess of $600,000. Things clammed up when all were reminded by me that 2012 is an election year with many contributors already nailed down in that area. TS was delayed one time a year due to the blockbuster Olympic Games in Atlanta with caution "don't cut the pie too thin." Thinking was in 1988 to have tall stacks in the early summer. We blew the whistle on that reminding all that the excursion boat operators would be smack dab in the middle of their high charter season in home ports. I quietly reminded the group that "...boats can't be expected to journey here without some financial up front incentive to meet expenses."
Cincinnati Public Library/S&D's prominent Yeatman Anderson III shared a period letter to the group telling what real steamboating and the Public Landing was like in those days--no romance, warts and all--as historical fact. There were gasps and then, "Oh, we don't need to hear all that old boat stuff. We're here to sell fun, music, food, boat rides, cruises." YIKES! I thought.
The big block buster German Choral convention then surfaced as we have read/heard. Initial thinking was 'both' events could be shouldered. My take, for what it's worth, was that the venue of TS, which had mixed reviews and 'murky' financial reports last time, was the event that--sorry to say--had possibly run its course. Granted the last event was hit with a sudden October pop rise in the river bringing many TS excursions to a halt. Many boats also faced descreased ticket sales in addition to mounting expenses and recurring logistic headaches sitting idle. River events/venues in Louisville and Madison, IN have moved ahead nicely leaving, it appears, Cincinnati languishing. A river event of this magnitude also caused a number of big towboat companies with fleets of barges to tie up waiting for clearance to pass through the Cincinnati Harbor. Bill Judd has opined it was a logistics horror.
My involvement in the event dates to 1984 leading up to the big Cincinnati Bicentennial 1788-1988 serving as recording secretary writing up the original proposal from my notes later adopted. A long, hard, rough road for the committee but it worked with the 'Rivers Activity' group. The name TALL STACKS evolved in time building on the pevious TALL SHIPS event in New York harbor. I remember a meeting on a miserably hot August day when Michael Rozow, Cincinnati Convention Bureau, showed fine art posters from the TALL SHIPS event. Eyes roamed around the room with Mike saying, "Why don't we call this TALL STACKS?" Planning meetings were held constantly with Frank Prudent attending. Our own Capt. Bill Judd took a lead along with Nelson Jones. Darlene Judd also deeply involved. TS eventually was spun off with the name, logo for the new venue. I was asked to join the 1992 TS but backed off due to other involvements in town along with...well...being more than a little burned out. These things happen when a volunteer. Many corporate members had their time given by companies along with expenses. The rest of us received nothing--not even parking space. I saw more accent placed on the big staged music events thinking all could work well together.
People from far and wide loved the boats, color, atmosphere, displays, events but even in time that faded. I felt the years and months leading up were worth it. The many volunteers worked long and hard deserving of nothing but the highest compliments. People worked long and hard as a collaborative effort thinking big. Other interests made money from the event for sure. I wish any future event all the success. Well, what do I know?
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.
Topic starter
29/10/2011 2:21 am
Dale has hit the proverbial nail on the head. No doubt about that!
Today's Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Tall Stacks has indeed been rescheduled, and will be back in 2013. The Enquirer further reported that already monies have been commited towards the event. The feeling is that the economy will be in better shape come 2013, and the event will not be compeating against a presidential election in '13.