October 28, 2009 · Derek

Tall Ships Tacoma in 2011 - An Update

Are you ready to support Tall Ships Tacoma 2011?

Stan Selden, co-chair of the 2008 Tall Ships event, went before the City of Tacoma’s Economic Development Committee yesterday to give an update on current Tall Ships efforts.

Last year’s event reportedly provided the City with a $19.2 million economic impact. Of course, as you may recall, the organization itself finished with a rather harrowing $500k deficit. Fundraising to fill the gap continues to this day. At this point, a bit more than a year later, the organization is looking for $100k to partially pay off the remaining forty-four creditors at 25 cents on the dollar and release all remaining liability. These same creditors would then get sponsorship credit should there be an event in 2011.

What did they learn from 2008?

Tall Ships Tacoma needs to improve its business model. Possible solutions may include a small admission fee and/or an improved donation plan.
The event needs more large Class A ships. The public loves the big ships.
The Class B ships we did have were over-programmed and sailing too often. This meant they weren’t on the docks where the public could view them.
Management needs to better control costs and respond quicker to changing economic conditions.
The organization needs to improve its merchandising plan.
There needs to be better coordination between Tall Ships and downtown merchants.

The 2011 dates have been tentatively set. Tacoma would host the ships from August 26 -30, 2011. Now it’s time for the cities to commit so that the ships will commit and the organization efforts can begin … if that’s the will of the City.

The message to Council was that the Tall Ships organization needs “an endorsement from the powers that be in the City of Tacoma” in order to move forward. This would give them the momentum and credibility needed to continue fundraising efforts and get ready for another event. At the same time, commitments are needed by a “substantial majority of public & private supporters.” In effect, overwhelming support will bring us another Tall Ships festival.

The response from Council was … cautious. While they acknowledged that Tall Ships is something the City would like to be proud of, Councilmembers asked Selden for more details on a future business plan. The details seemed fuzzy enough to raise a few eyebrows. He promised to get with them in about a month.

Are you ready to support another round of Tall Ships hoopla?

24 comments

crenshaw sepulveda October 28, 2009

More like the Tall Ship of Fools. I love the Tall Ships but this has not worked for the organizers and I suspect it never will.
Altered Chords October 28, 2009

Everyone needs to make money during the event including the organizers. If the organizers think they can learn from past experience then why not let them?

Altered Chords gives two thumbs up for Tall Ships in 2011 and to the organizers for not giving up in the face of difficulty.
Dan October 28, 2009

I think that they may be overestimating the level of commitment that exists among public and private supporters. No harm in them asking obviously, but the last event did not go particularly well compared to the first event. As a past financial supporter/sponsor I would certainly think twice before doing it again. And from what I hear I am not the only one.
6ther October 28, 2009

Change the name from Tall Ships Festival to Tall Ships and Brew Festival and you might have a chance.

The Tall Ships Festival can’t just be a nice walk down the street looking at fake pirate ships with the wife and kids any more. That gets old… really fast. And it doesn’t do enough to draw and keep people at the festival for more than an hour. The festival has to offer more to the people in order for them to spend their hard earned money.

So look around and see what gets adults to spend their money… adult fun! Not hooking adult fun!… But booze always works- Maybe we shouldn’t confine people to a beer garden during the festival. Good live music helps- and not cheesy polka bands, but good music that costs money to attract. A good show on the water would be very cool to watch as well- I’ve always thought bringing an event like the Red Bull Flugtag to the Thea Foss would be a great publicity move. How about booking some adult friendly cool stuff like that for a change? I’d spend my money on an event like that. But I wouldn’t waste my time with another Tall Ships Festival if it’s just going to be the same thing as years before.

How many tours on fake pirate ships can a city pull off before it loses all interest and becomes a failure? Why do I feel like we’re about to find out?
jamie from thriceallamerican October 28, 2009

I think 6ther has an interesting point. Part of what perhaps detracted from the previous Tall Ships Festivals is that they were happening over Fourth of July, meaning a bit of competition with Freedom Fair, etc., which was a ways away. (Walkable, yes, at least for some, but still very separate.) So if we pile up events all happening at the same time, we’ll get an interesting mix. Partner up with the Craft Brew Fest folks, that was certainly quite successful. Book some national music acts to create some nightlife around the vent. Schedule a parade down Pac Ave. Fun run to “race the ships in” along Ruston Way. Have something downright wacky and unrelated, like bed races or a downtown nighttime beer-fueled bicycle race. Make the museums free or cheap. Etc. Essentially, more reasons to come and hopefully more feet on the street not just along the Foss but all over downtown.
Derek staff October 28, 2009

re: timing

It was noted that the August date in 2011 would align with Maritime Fest. Not exactly a brewfest, but synergy nonetheless.
David Koch October 28, 2009

@6ther: I agree with our primary point! I went to the Big Ships and it was relatively boring. There were two things to do… walk onto a couple ships and look at the vendors… and there weren’t enough of either (although I did enjoy it) !

Give me more vendors, more music, and more ships to board! I like festivals that feel like a marketplace with noise and people! Maybe have vendors tie their products into the tall-ships theme! Or maybe create your own pirate vendor booths to raise money on nonsense pirate booty. Give me all our local businesses selling their stuff. Set designated entrances and exits with donation bins. I’ll throw some money in!

They obviously need to figure out a way to make money, but I think it’s important to keep it free for people to just walk through. Donations! Or maybe give more activities to do for people willing to buy $1-5 tokens.
Be sure to have a couple free activities, a couple $1-3 activities, and also more premium $4-5 activities as part of the family fun part of the festival. Make some activities just for the kids, some for adults, and some for families.

Let people buy cheaply made sailor hats/gear/weapons/etc for more money than they’re worth. Encourage/require vendors to wear sea-fairing clothing/flair. Create a catchy logo you can put on flags/coins/clothes/etc…

I hope they come back in 2011 with a better game plan!
crenshaw sepulveda October 28, 2009

I wonder how much the organizers paid themselves and how close that figure is to the deficit the Tall Ships ended up with. Not just salaries, but perks, junkets, and what not. I’m sure this provides a good living for some people but a lot of people are getting screwed by not being paid in full for their services and work.
Jesse October 29, 2009

I just remember the “suggested donation” boxes at a couple ends of the walkway with mass people walking right by them. If you’ve ever raised money for a non-profit before, you know you have to directly ask people for things. Broadcast asks NEVER work. Maybe an admission price of cash or canned food would be better than having it be free if noone with the “means to pay” were contributing anything.
gritcitygirl October 29, 2009

I don’t think Tall Ships should be supported by my tax dollars until they pay off the small businesses they still owe.

They’ve caused at least one small business in this city to have severe economic difficulties. They think giving their creditors 25 cents on the dollar is acceptable.

Make things write. Rewrite the game plan completely. Then maybe we can talk.
CA October 29, 2009

Count me in the “it’s starting to get old” camp. I think it’s a great event, but I think we need to give it a few more years before its return.
Christine October 29, 2009

I worked down there for a couple of days and it wasn’t “yo-ho-ho”, it was oh-ho-hum. Everyone here is correct. Stuff for the kiddies doesn’t make money, the adults are the ones with jobs. There was nothing for adults to do for more than 1 hour. And there wasn’t much for the kids to do either! My nephews were bored after the first go-round. It could be great, it just needs to change.

Oh yeah, and don’t screw the downtown merchants anymore than they are already accustomed to.
Tom Barnes October 29, 2009

I have an interest in tall ships from a historical point of view. I did extensive research into Clipper ships to write a book, which reminds me that there are hundreds of good stories about tall ships from the past that could be used in your PR campaigns. You might use some of the records set by tall ships. For example the Clipper Flying Cloud’s record set from Sandy Hook Long Island to San Francisco by way of Cape Horn in 93 days. And the kids would love to hear an old sailor tell the story of ‘The Flying Dutchman.’
It’s just a thought.
David Boe October 29, 2009

For Tall Ships to succeed on a tri-annual basis (?) it really needs to be broadened to a community event – and not just be a curious attraction along the waterfront. In the months leading up to the ships arriving how about Tacoma Opera putting on a production of Billy Budd, the Puget Sound Revels unwraps their Tall Ships Show, and many more events in celebration of the maritime (along the creative lines mentioned by 6ther and Jamie above). This could create a Tacoma downtown environment where the ships actually are just the setting for all that is going on around it (come for the ships but stay for the party so to speak).
Jacinda October 29, 2009

I love the Tall Ships festival, but there is a definite need to better include local businesses. I’m not a business woman, but it seems to me some sort of Tall Ships coupon book would be a good idea, along with more stuff for adults to do.
Attract folks to the waterfront to view the Tall Ships. Give them incentives to visit downtown (or nearby) businesses while they are in the area. Provide the necessary transportation to get people to and from the festival and lunch, dinner, etc destinations.
However it’s done, Tall Ships needs to be a Tacoma event, not just a Thea Foss event. Here’s hoping organizers make it work.
CLAIL October 29, 2009

These are really great ideas, and show the enthusiasm and creativity contained in this community. I encourage everyone who has brought up these points to consider becoming a part of the organization that puts on events in our community so your ideas can become reality. You can volunteer as much or as little time as you have available to make a difference for both the events and the community.
Morty October 29, 2009

I love the Tall Ships! Wasn’t here in 2008, but back in Boston the ships were a big deal. Sounds like the post mortem of 2008 taught the organizers a few things. And there are a number of great suggestions here. Tacoma is an important port and The Tall Ships celebrate that heritage. It might take a few events to make the program successful, but the city and community should not turn the opportunity down. I would really hate to see the organizers move the venue.
Kevin October 30, 2009

I have nothing to add, except that there are a LOT of great ideas in these comments! Bring these people and their ideas into the fold and Tall Ships (fill in the blank) will succeed!
Papasan November 1, 2009

Crensha, as usual, makes a great point. Anybody want to bet that all of the board members and all of their families got front row center seats on all the ships. Anyone want to bet that any business that is owned by a Board member, of buddy of a Board member has been paid a long time ago and the ones waiting for their money are mom and pops that can’t afford high end lawyers?
Add beer to the festival??? Are you high? Invite people to downtown, liquor them up real good, then put them back out on the streets at the end of the day singing “Yo Ho, Yo Ho A Pirates life for me!
Dump the whole idea.
Anike November 6, 2009

A big part of what soured me on the Tall Ships festival was the lack of organization among the people handing the volunteers. I’ve done a lot of volunteering, and to make a large event run smoothly, it needs to be well co-ordinated. That was definitely not what I experienced, and the lack of planning really made the whole experience less than enjoyable. I’m not interested in giving my time to a group of people who didn’t seem interested in using my time wisely.

I do approve of adding beer to the festival, however.
jamie from thriceallamerican November 6, 2009

Add beer to the festival??? Are you high?

Huh…can we get pot legalized by 2011, too?
Squid November 6, 2009

jamie@23: and perhaps rename the festival “High Ships”?
jamie from thriceallamerican November 6, 2009

Genius!
You're Welcome November 6, 2009

I sat on the deck at KD’s and had a great time watching the ships come in. Booze, good food, and no kids. But, I didn’t ever spend time on the ships or near the vendors. Whoopsie!