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Participants in the Summer Splash, a six-mile float down the Chattahoochee River in the Metro Atlanta area, are transported by shuttle upriver to begin their trip.
Championships held at Fort Vancouver since 2009. "Our biggest challenge is dealing with the number of entities involved: the National Park Service, the U.S. Army and National Guard (which had buildings and parking lots on the property), the City of Vancouver, and the CVB. There were a number of logistical hoops to jump through with each of these agencies." Haglund's biggest tip to event planners is to determine at the outset all entities that need to be in the line of com- munication so that all proper permissions have been vetted and determined well in advance.
Dealing with growth can be a good-to-
have challenge. "The Black Hills Fat Tire Festival, looking forward to its seventh year in 2013, has become the most suc- cessful event held at the Hanson-Larson Memorial Park, a jewel right in the mid- dle of Rapid City," Rodriguez said. "Until recently, there was never enough parking around this privately owned park. But in the past year, a larger parking lot and a shelter were constructed in an adjoining public park, and now the opportunities are endless." A venue that borders residential and
business districts comes with the added challenge of keeping the locals happy, said Tammy Dunn, CSEE, sports market- ing manager for the Snohomish County (Wash.) Sports Commission. "We have several great venues right on Puget Sound in areas where there are also houses and
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shops. The Mastercraft Pro Wakeboard tour draws about 8,000 to Lake Tye Park, and we have to be careful that spectators don't block traffic in residential areas. We have a transport from parking lots at a nearby high school; we also have to close one street, so we work in advance with the local businesses so that they can plan ahead and so that everyone benefits from our sports events."
A shuttle from the parking area to the
event also helps participants in the Summer Splash, a six-mile float down the Chattahoochee River in the Metro Atlanta area, said Kym Hughes, executive direc- tor for Sandy Springs, Ga., Hospitality and Tourism office. "Parking for the event is at Powers Island park, and participants, who can either bring their own canoes or kayaks or rent from local outfitters, are transported by a shuttle upriver to begin their trip."
Finding an ideal location for a rowing
event that also works well for spectators is a challenge, said AJ Dominique, events manager for US Rowing. "Many bodies of water struggle to provide both the ade- quate water space for a full six-lane, 2,000-meter course and the on-land space to accommodate the number of competi- tors that most of our national events attract. An ideal rowing destination has a body of water that creates a fair racing environment while also allowing specta- tors a full view of the race course." Dominique likes Melton Hill Lake in ➤
August 2012 19
Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism