Ironman looking for more money from city

JOHN MOORHOUSE Penticton Herald Thursday, September 10, 2009

A request from Ironman Canada for $100,000 more in annual community support has local officials looking for ways to come up with the cash. However, Mayor Dan Ashton emphasizes Ironman is not threatening to move the triathlon out of Penticton. Details of the funding request were disclosed at the close of Tuesday night‘s city council meeting, after Ashton had unveiled details to about 30 invited guests at a “Breakfast with the Mayor” event earlier in the day. Coun. Mike Pearce said Ironman has requested additional money from the community, partially over the next 10 years and some immediately. “As you know, Ironman is a great benefit for the City of Penticton,” Pearce said. “I don‘t think we‘d probably want to be known as the council that chased Ironman out, but we also must bargain the best deal for the entire taxpayers.”

But Ashton quickly downplayed any suggestion that Ironman Canada may be contemplating a move away from Penticton if the fundraising comes up short. “They have not threatened to pull the race,” he said. “They have come to us and said: ’Look we have additional expenses.‘ One of the additional expenses is this year they had to start paying for ambulances which is a substantial cost.” Ironman‘s current five-year race agreement with the city expires this year. Under the existing deal, the city provided $106,700 of in-kind services such as storage and erection of bleachers, barricades, water buoys and other items. Ironman is now looking to the city to provide additional vehicle and container storage, plus increased RCMP traffic control services. It wants the RCMP to assume responsibility for all traffic control during the race, at a cost of $55,000 to $60,000. Currently policing costs amount to $10,000 and much of the traffic control is performed by volunteers.

“Ironman is coming up to the level of other communities which pay to have the opportunity to have an Ironman race in their community,” Ashton said. The mayor emphasized it is not direct city funding, but a wider community approach is being considered in a bid to raise the funds with talks to continue over the months ahead. One proposal being considered calls for a portion of the $100,000 to come from increased hotel and motel room fees, of $5 to $10 phased in over a three-year period, to be charged during Iron week. Ashton said in return for providing the funding under a five to 10-year agreement, the city would receive extensive promotional coverage through television ads and increased coverage of the race promoting the entire South Okanagan-Similkameen. He said the city could be in a position to cash in on the good name Penticton and the Ironman Canada event has within the triathlon community and expand on the economic benefits from the race.

Coun. Judy Sentes, former president of the Ironman Canada Race Society, said the key is the additional exposure for Penticton that Ironman has promised. She described the annual fee as a “purchase” by the community for additional tourism marketing venues. “They will promote the destination of Penticton, over and above the race itself,” Sentes said. “So it is now a different entity and there is a fee paid for the race being here.” World Triathlon Corp. which owns all Ironman races, was recently acquired by a group of U.S. investors, which is looking to remarket and rebrand the various Ironman races. Graham Fraser, former president of Ironman North America, has maintained control of the Penticton race in partnership with the new owners. Ironman Canada officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.