Some final thoughts on the Pow Wow last night
So we are all talking today about the Pow Wow last night. No one is sure how it turned out. Many people used their $35.00 Visa gift cards to eat and shop, many just took the cards back to their hotels and are probably spending the money elsewhere, which is not what the BID intended. It was hoped that all cards would be used in the Grove and then some -- visitors had their own money and expense accounts, but it seems many did not spend anything.
The Grove did its best. The BID did an outstanding job planning the whole event. Richard Issa (above left) is to be commended on his non-stop work. Going out to Miami Beach on the bus, he gave us all a little orientation on what was what and he seemed to know it all. He had an answer for everything, he looked exhausted and is probably sleeping in all day today, which is well deserved.
All volunteers, including Allison McCreary (above right), of Coconut Grove Bank, were eager to help and did help in rain or shine.
But from the planning standpoint, everyone was in their places and on the mark. The bus tour guides were there, the ambassadors were doing their job and everything seemed to start and work like clockwork. Everyone involved was happy and willing to work and do their part.
It's a shame that the Barnacle's free bar was a washout and that there was no swimming at Cabana One or the Sonesta. I don't think anyone even made it down to the Sonesta to eat at Panorama and enjoy the incredible view.
I doubt many made the Ghost Tours, since that was all walking and I don't think many made it to Commodore Plaza either since the buses let everyone off at Mayfair. This group, from one of the last buses to arrive in the pouring rain, took an underground tour of the Grove, through the garage from Mayfair, out to CocoWalk, to keep out of the rain. They took it in good stride and we joked about Paris having their underground sewer tours and we had our underground garage tour, in one area of the garage it did smell like a sewer, so we got the whole effect.
One sad note: our CocoWalk Angel fainted! She's ok and I guess the heat, rain and all the excitement and people got to her.
I know that all the South Beach festivities all week charmed the Pow Wow guests and hopefully they will send tourists to Miami and in turn, those tourists will want to visit the Grove, too. That is where our map and brochure committee needs to step in. If the tour operators and travel writers send people to South Beach, and I know they will, we need to have a presence there to invite those visitors to the Grove for a day trip or two.
Photos by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt and Tom Falco
posted by Tom Falco at 3:30 PM
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12 Comments:
So am I understand that BID gave out $70,000.00 in visa gift cards? (2000 x $35 - per the numbers you listed below)? Do we know what flowed back into the grove? I didn't hear about anybody ringing big portions of that (Don't know anyone at A&M though).
Curious and hoping I'm missing something...
Next time make the cards good ONLY in Coconut Grove. The BID really made a financial mistake with the way they designed the $35.00 gift cards. So typical of the BID, if they ran a real business it would be long, out of business. Thanks Dave
Why didn't they model after a town that was recently on the NBC Nightly News. This town sorry can't remember the name. Has there own Money only useable in that town. And there are promotions for the people that live there to use that money supporting the local businesses. Why on Earth wasn't something like this done for this event. That way if it got rained out they could have come back to use there Coconut Grove dollars at the participating Grove businesses. The BID could have then reimbursed thpse businesses with actual real money. So only the Grove dolllars used would have cost anything.
Who's running this place?
SR
wow, not to beat a dead horse, but the more I think about it, just handing them $35 cards, with no guarantee of them spending it in the grove, or the state for that matter is beyond idiotic.
Found the link on NBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#30421140
The money is called Berkshares
Great Barrington, MA
They also did it in the great depression.
Look at the link powers at be that doled out $70,000.
Since it didn't happen for this event maybe this can be something on going for the Grove?
Looks like the Tuesday Morning Quarterbacks have all shown up in droves today... Since you all are so smart, perhaps you could have asked the question and raised the issue prior to the event? Well, then again this is the Grove and its much easier to just piss and moan after the fact.
Thanks to everyone, BID included, for their efforts in promoting the Grove for this event. Im sure if Ma Nature hadnt interfered, the attendees wouldve gotten to enjoy our slice of Miami a lot more.
6 comments does not equal droves, and no one ever heard $70k in cash given away. Could have been put to a lot of good or never taken from these ailing and failing grove businesses to begin with. Hope the pow-wow peeps have fun with all that cash.
what exactly is this POW WOW thing?
To blind eye: it is not Tuesday morning quarterbacks who should have raised the question as to why BID just did not give out vouchers for use in the grove, which would be exchanged for cash. It was the BID people who ARE PAID A SALARY because of their experience/knowledge/ability to run an organization who should have thought this out BEFORE. But hell, it was not money out of their pocket. I am sure any responsible business owner who is in business to make a profit would have thought this out before hand.
What is the Salary of David Collins? Anyone out there know?? Maybe his door is the one we should be knocking on with these questions.
No one could have anticipated such a dreadful downpour. David Collins works long hard hours to find common denominators to bring folks into the Grove.
Dave Collins has a good heart and works hard to help the grove business. Anyone who has put in the hours that Dave does to help increase grove prosperity,is allowed to bitch, all others put your effort where your mouth is.
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