Panelists answered the following: With the airshow losing money in four of its first five years and city staff time devoted to organizing it, should the city hire an outside business or group to run the event?
Richard Place: “I would rather use the money we’re losing to fix pot holes instead.”
Ruth Erickson: “With more sponsors, more volunteers for gate security, added visibility in local newsletters and newspapers in communities to the north of us, increased promotion through California Visitors Bureaus, extra displays and activities, more social medial announcements and better cooperation from local hoteliers, we could at least break even, or increase the revenue and not need an outside promoter.”
Marty Richman: “Yes, they should certainly consider it, among other things, because major changes are required and some real analysis and experimentation is necessary. Modern insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect that the results will change.”
Mary Zanger: “No. The air show itself provides top-notch awe and entertainment. Ticket availability and attendance control are the problems. Pre-event ticket availability has to happen. Ticket purchase has to be easily accessible before the event. The ticket booth at the show needs to be located close to the entrance for control. Possibly a volunteer board needs to be organized to cure the ticket problem and make sure all attendees purchase tickets because the first issue an outside group tackles is to raise the price of the ticket.”
