The 2012 version of the Route 66 Rendezvous is no longer in doubt. The big event will remain in downtown San Bernardino, Calif., the San Bernardino County Sun and other media outlets reported Wednesday afternoon.
The classic-car festival — which annually has drawn more than 500,000 to downtown in recent years — was in danger of being moved to a park in a nearby town or being canceled because of the City of San Bernardino’s deep financial woes.
The city said in July it will file for bankruptcy, and a 30 percent cut in spending appears likely. Last week, San Bernardino’s police chief questioned whether enough funds would be available to pay for patrols during the Sept. 13-16 event.
The Sun’s report cited San Bernardino Convention and Visitors Bureau chief Wayne Austin in the announcement Wednesday:
Austin said a plan is in development to address those (police protection) issues, but could not yet share many details, aside from the fact that show organizers are working on plans to accept public donations to protect the city’s limited dollars.
He also said the board’s decision to keep this year’s Rendezvous in San Bernardino is final.
“It’s cast in concrete right now,” Austin said.
The Rendezvous also put out an announcement Wednesday on its website.
“Over the past week there has been a great deal of speculation regarding the status of this year’s Stater Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous®,” states Wayne Austin, president & CEO of the San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau. “With input from the Board of Directors of the SBCVB, our major event sponsors and city officials, I am pleased to announce that the classic cars will continue to cruise our downtown streets of San Bernardino this September. We are moving forward with our goal of having the most successful Rendezvous ever.”
A story late Tuesday by the Redlands Daily Facts revealed that the CVB voted unanimously last week to move the Rendezvous to Glen Helen Park in nearby Devore. However, Austin said Monday he was unaware of that move.
The CVB’s move was opposed by Jack Brown, CEO of Stater Bros. Markets, primary sponsor of the Route 66 Rendezvous.
“If they needed to cancel it, it would be OK with us, but if they weren’t going to cancel it, they should do it as they advertised it,” said Jack Brown, chairman and CEO of Stater Bros. Markets.
Brown, who said Stater Bros. Markets gives more than $600,000 a year to the Convention and Visitors Bureau in addition to employee time and vendor support, said the event is great for San Bernardino’s image and businesses.
“We think it’s a great first step to work out of that pothole we’re in,” he said.
“This is a chance for the whole community to say we’re together. … (I) feel very strongly it should always be free and it should always be in downtown San Bernardino.”
UPDATE 8/2/2012: Columnist Cassie MacDuff for The Press-Enterprise says that a few donors have already come forward to help defray police overtime costs needed for the Rendezvous.
And, as expected, the Los Angeles Times and other media reported late Wednesday that San Bernardino filed for Chapter 9 bankrupty, listing more than a $1 billion in debts.
At our meetings held today at the SBC&VB many topics were laid on the table. Yes there is going to be a Rendezvous this year in San Bernardino and Stater Bros is the sponsor.
There will be many changes brought but most will have little effect on the look of the event. Sort of a tighting of the belt, or purse strings.
Now we will find out who are real friends and supporters are with these austere measures.
The number of volunteers, both individual and business, will step up and once again make this 4 day event a SUCCESS.
The city said in July it will file for bankruptcy?
Looks like it has already done so now:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19089970
There you go. I was aware the City Council had voted to file, but the media hadn’t gotten the actual filing when I checked Wednesday afternoon.