Race Promotion Question

[Amos Redhead]

Hi-

I am thinking of putting on an event next year and was
wondering what are the steps needed to secure a course?
1. Who do you contact in the city and what type of permits
are needed?
2. How much does this part generally cost?
3. How difficult is it to get road closure for a crit?
4. What if residents are opposed, how do you convince them
it is a good thing?

Any suggestions on how to approach the city with making this
a postive experience for the city, residents and racers
appreciated.

Thanks - Amos

[Bob Schwartz]

Amos Redhead <amosredhead@aol.com> wrote:
> Hi-

> I am thinking of putting on an event next year and was
> wondering what are the steps needed to secure a course?
> 1. Who do you contact in the city and what type of permits
> are needed?

Depends. Start with the cops and your elected officials.

> 2. How much does this part generally cost?

Depends. Could be nothing. Could be way too much. If the
person you are talking too just wants you to go away and
leave them alone, one tactic is to set high barriers in cost
and permitting.

This is 5 years old and on a different topic but you can get
an idea of expenses here: http://groups.google.com/groups?&-
selm=19990421222952.18570.00000231%40ng138.aol.com

Odds are long that cops will be the most expensive part.

> 3. How difficult is it to get road closure for a crit?

Depends. When you get an answer to question 1 you can ask
them where this could fly or will not fly.

> 4. What if residents are opposed, how do you convince them
> it is a good thing?

If you are screwing with traffic people will hate you. If
you are telling people they can't get out of their driveway
any time they like they will hate you. There are examples of
successful races in residential areas but they are few. It
is not chance that so many crits in the US are run in
industrial parks.

> Any suggestions on how to approach the city with making
> this a postive experience for the city, residents and
> racers appreciated.

The race has its best chance as part of an event that is
larger than just the race itself. If you are just some guy
wanting to put on a bike race hoping that other people will
groove on the same things that you groove on you will have a
tough road. Things that help are economic pull and
connections from sponsors and a connection to some other
event or activity that will attract a more general audience.

Dave LaPorte has built a race from nothing to one of the top
NRC races in the country. Check: http://www.minnbikefest.com (http://www.minnbikefest.com/)
Note that none of the stages depends solely on the race to
draw spectator interest.

Bob Schwartz cvcc@execpc.com