 |
         |
      |
| Volume XXIII Number 6 | April 26, 2002 |
Stormy Weather: Tribal Fair Committee Faces Loss
By Elrod BowersHOLLYWOOD - At its wrap-up meeting for the recent 2002 Fair, the Tribal Fair Committee learned that the Fair lost approximately $40,000.
Although $12,000 more in advertising was spent this year in an effort to attract more visitors, it was the consensus of the Committee that rain on the Saturday and Sunday of Tribal Fair weekend adversely affected the bottom line.
"It was the law of averages, we’ve had good weather all these years," said Sandy Selner of the President’s Office. The admissions income dropped over $13,000 dollars, and approximately 1,100 less adults and 200 less children attended the Fair than in 2001.
Board of Directors Chief Financial Officer David Zacher presented the financial report to the Committee. Zacher told the Committee that, when compared to the 2001 Tribal Fair, this year’s event income dropped $38,000 while spending $9,000 more in expenses.
Much of the discussion about what may have hurt the Fair’s income centered on the rainy weather. Buster Baxley, who headed the 2002 Tribal Fair Advertising Committee, said about $28,000 was spent on cable television alone. Gloria Wilson added that a page had been set up on a popular powwow website and ads placed in Indian newspapers.
Baxley said that the focus on cable television was because the cost of running ads in local mainstream newspapers and placing commercials during local morning television shows was very expensive. Wilson agreed and added that, ideally, "advertising should be about one-third of the budget."
Presently, the powwow prize fund constitutes almost one-third of the Tribal Fair budget. Selner questioned the use of late night cable television spots. She spoke in favor of the expensive, but highly visible, print ads and television commercials.
"It’s worth it, because people see it," said Selner, "why spend $3,000 here and $3,000 there when nobody’s going to see it?"
"You can advertise all you want, but if it rains, no one’s going to come," countered Zacher. However, Committee Chairman, Hollywood Board Representative David Dehass, was bouyed by the attendance figures for the first two days.
"Thursday and Friday, we did good, but it was the rain that killed us," said Dehass.
At the meeting, Gloria Wilson, who had been on the 2002 Tribal Fair Program Book, Entertainment and PowWow Committees, announced her intention to retire from the Tribal Fair Committee.
Meetings for next year’s Tribal Fair will begin in June.
| Home · History · Culture · Tourism & Enterprises · Government · Services · Employment |
Copyright © MMIV Seminole Tribe of Florida
6300 Stirling Road
Hollywood, Florida 33024
Phone: (800) 683-7800
URL:
All questions/comments: tribune@semtribe.com
Webmaster: webadmin@semtribe.com
Web site maintained by Seminole Tribe of Florida