Council takes no action to fund travel show endeavor
Gary Rickard, owner of the Presque Isle Athletic Club and the Center of Rogers City, has appeared before both the county board of commissioners and the city council asking for support on an endeavor on which he’d like to embark.
Rickard believes the city and county need to have a presence at travel shows downstate to promote tourism and help attract more people to the area.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Copying someone is flattering because it shows you want to be like that person, company or successful city. All I want Rogers City to do is copy the successful cities that make tourism a valuable part of their identity. You will find the successful cities utilize the travel and sports shows I have recommended to you,” said Rickard Tuesday evening to the city council. He also appeared at the previous council meeting to trumpet his idea.
His proposal asks the city to contribute one dollar per resident for a total of $2,827 and the county do the same with a total of $13,376 to give him $16,203 to attend seven travel and sports shows at Novi’s Suburban Collection Showplace.
Rickard wants funding to hand out print literature at the shows, to purchase booth space at each show and to pay wages for an assistant that he could pay $10 per hour. He has purchased a booth at the Snowmobile USA 2012 show to be held Nov. 2-4 out of his own pocket.
“It is critical we begin the process of being at these shows. One of the critical elements of going to these shows is the partnering you get to do,” said Rickard.
Other shows he would like to attend are the Ultimate Fishing Show, the Detroit Camper and RV Show, the Outdoorama and Cottage and Lakefront Living Show, the Michigan Golf Show, the 21st Annual Spring Boat Expo and the Michigan International Women’s Show.
The shows would span over 26 different days and require 225 hours of work. He would like to pay, out of the money from the city, an assistant to spend an hour setting up and an hour taking down the booth as well as working the hours of the show. Rickard told the council this person would be knowledgeable about Rogers City and Presque Isle County. Meals, travel and lodging would then be paid out of the county’s contribution.
Rogers City mayor Beach Hall told Rickard that they weren’t arguing that he had some good points but they didn’t budget for an effort like this and without much time to review, if they had wiggle room somewhere, were not poised to make a decision Tuesday evening.
“First of all, I think Mr. Rickard should have gone to the visitors’ bureau or chamber of commerce’s in the area
Nowak also said that if Rickard gets money from the city and the county he is really getting $5,624 from the city because they pay taxes to the county as well and the city population is included in the county’s amount.
“Gary said he is going to have trained people down there. Who are they? What do they know about Rogers City? And unless he says something in writing that he is going to have people from Rogers City down there, I don’t think you can trust somebody from out of town to describe Rogers City,” said Nowak.
Rickard told the council he just wanted to make an effort, it was a bucket list item for him, and he will give them one for free. The city took no action on his request.