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Oak Ridge, Tenn., for example. "It's great for participants because there is little to no current. The on-land areas are close and easily accessible to the dock area, making everything close and convenient. The peninsula allows for a close-quarters area between teams and vendors,
which helps create a championship atmosphere. Plus, the park has plen- ty of water-side viewing, and is one of the few venues in the country where spectators can see the entire 2,000- meter course." To give specta- tors—at an event and around the world—an even better view, US Rowing intro- duced live stream- ing video in 2010. "We are able to provide the spec- tators with a view of the race from start to finish and with shots from on the water. Our normal set-up includes a viewing tent with two or three large-screen monitors. We also utilize UStream (www.ustream.tv) to show the video live on site, online and on mobile devices."
Coordinating tourists, locals and competing events is always a challenge in a populated area, said Megan Monsour Hartman, TMP, sen- ior marketing manager for the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention
20 August 2012
and Visitors Bureau (CVB) in Lake Charles, speaking of the year the city's lakefront hosted the STIHL Timbersports Series at the same time as the ESPN2 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup fishing tournament. "It became a way to draw
around the world." Hartman also emphasized that planners
and organizers have to learn to share the venues to everyone's benefit "Situated on the east rim of Lake Charles, the Lake Charles Civic Center lawn, Bord du Lac Marina and the lake are popular spots for festivals of all kinds in addition to sports and watercraft events and outdoor trade shows requir- ing waterfront access, so there has to be a lot of coop- eration. The organ- izers of the HT Redfish Series had to coordinate everything with the Contraband Days Louisiana Pirate Festival, since the fishing series was taking place at the same time as the two-week festival that had already secured the venue. Everything from the weigh-in to the specific dates of the fishing tourna- ment had to be coordinated with the festival. But the festival organizers were more than accommodating and were excited to add this event to their schedule."
Preparing For The Unknown Factors that are out of anyone's control
a huge crowd for the redfish weigh-in," she said. "Spectators were entertained by the professional lumberjack sports, with male and female competitors from
complicate sporting events at natural ven- ues, such as lakes, trails, etc. "There's more than raking a field and laying down white lines, like you would do for a ➤
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S.P.O.R.T.S. 2012