Boat Drags Austin Tx

[Powercat]

http://www.statesman.com/nation/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_f3b7ec790279c1240009.html
Well its being discussed in the newspaper again about trying to have races once again on Town Lake in Austin...
But sounds like the same old objections are being voiced again... ( Click on the link above to read the article from the Austin American Statesman )
Danny Leger

[Rocket]

Too much blood shed in the 70's!?! What a joke!


Do they really think that Boat race fan's get that drunk and violent in the year 2003? The people that were at those past events, are probalby the same people that are running the city today.


Don't they know that Acid went out in the 70's??????

[Rocket]

How about them saying that there would be 200 boats that run 200mph? It would be hard pressed to get 200 Boats there at all.

[KC462]

What you have is a cadre of old timers who never have any fun or go out and do anything other than sit around and bitch. Then when someone else is interested in doing something other than what they enjoy doing they immediately shoot it down.

Why doesn't the COC of Austin just ask the COC at Marble Falls what a race can do for the community. That is the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a boat race. I am sure that the merchants and city council enjoy the increased business.

[Rocket]

You're right! The Income that a SDBA/IHBA race brings to a town can be huge! We had some 119 boats (which avarage about 5 in a crew) in Marble falls! Plus it brought in over 20K spectators
at $20 bucks a day. Plus we buy Ice, Beer, Food, Gas, ect! We buy Radio spots, TV adds, Newspaper adds, Billboard adds and more!


And the Marble falls Hotels doubling their nightly rates don't hurt them either!:mad:



The potential Money this could bring to Austin (which is hurting) would be over $500,000 Bucks for one weekend!

Here is the link to Austin City council, Let them know how you feel!

Link to Austin City Council! (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm)



My2 Cents!

[Rocket]

This is a Quote from Austin Paper. LOL


Quote:Boat races in East Austin: Why are we bringing up this dumb idea again? Are we in Austin recycling our old bad ideas because we've run out of new and inventive bad ideas to push? In this town, that seems highly unlikely.

Austin native and businessman William Archer thinks putting boat races back on Town Lake will boost the economy and help fill up hotels. Yeah, it will fill the hotels, all right. It'll fill up the hotels with that unendangered mammal, Redus neckarooni. Guys in three-piece suits don't go to boat races. Guys in one-piece suits — aka overalls — go to boat races.

Sure, some of my best friends are rednecks. But if you pack the hotels with ol' boys, they'll cram an entire 12-pickup truck family reunion into one room at, say, Motel 5 and cannonball the swimming pool. And, no, they don't generate a lot of income. Why eat out when you can barbecue in your room?

If you really want to increase the redneck tourist base, why not put in something spectacular like a chicken fight venue, or, say, Mabry World O' Speed?

:eek: Are we really that bad?:confused: But I do love a good chicken fight, every now and then!;)

[KC462]

Maybe Mr. Archer needs some one to remind him he lives in Austin, Texas. Not exactly the cultural center of the world. Sounds like the city is run by a group of elitists. I guess redneck's money is not as good as Mr. White Collar's money. I am sure he refers to everyone interested in motorsport as rednecks all the while feeling so superior and multicultural. What business is Mr. Archer involved in? I'll make sure I do not accidentally spend any money with him.

BTW, I consider myself a redneck. Born in Forida to a career Navy man. Raised in Tennessee and Texas by parents that are still married after 39 years. I do enjoy things like motor racing and boating. I also have a degree in Mechanical Engineering and have 16 years of manufacturing experience as a toolmaker, tooling designer, civil draftsman, and mechanical designer. I currently work designing pipelaying and railroad recovery attachments for dozers capable of lifting anything from city water lines to wrecked train cars weighing more than a 250,000 pounds. Maybe thats just not uppercrust enough for Mr. Archer though.

[Rocket]

Maybe the Austin City Council thinks this is a Redneck!

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/502/1207loose_canon_JP.JPG


Hummmmmm $100K in Boat, $750K in Tractor Trailer, $100K in Extra Stuff! Cost's $10K to run in for two days!



I wonder what they have for a hobby? Gardening? Stamp collecting? Or Just Bitchen!

[Rocket]

Here's the link to Austin Statesman 10/7/03!


Austin Statesman artical 10/07/03 (http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/kelso/1003/100703.html)

[Rocket]

Looks like this thing may really happen!:D :D :D

Please Click on the link, clcik on show your support and Let's get a little "Redneck Boat race'n" back to Austin!


Austin riverfest Boat race's! (http://www.rivercityfiesta.com/index.html)

[motexas]

Still have the family and friends down there, so even though I do not live there anymore I put my vote in for the support. My dad is going to get a kick out of this one, so will Jimmy Spillar and some the other ones that used to race with Dad.

MO

[motexas]

THIS WAS WHAT MY DAD RACED BACK IN THE 70'S, ANYONE RECOGNIZE THIS ONE. HE ONLY PULLED IT BEHIND THE VETTE ONCE. "SPIRIT OF 76" WAS THE NAME.

MO

[Rocket]

Looks killer, Motexas! I sure hope this Austin thing works out! :rolleyes:

[motexas]

That would be pretty cool Rocket, would definetly bring back some old memories. Dad does not go to the races much anymore, says it just is not the same since he does not race anymore, since they live on LBJ he goes to the races from time to time when they are in Marble Falls, but not much else, but I think this might get him out to the races if it comes back.

MO

[Rocket]

Mo, did you send in your support from the riverfest web site? Also send it to the chamber here!


Send in your comments for support of Baot race'n in Austin (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm)


We need to get this boat a bump'n! :D

[motexas]

Yea Rocket I sent it in yesterday. I just got off of the phone with my dad and he said would make a couple of calls, but that the city council turned it down again (last Thursday night). Dad said he was going to do some checking to see if it was going to be pushed any further. He did say that they were also looking to get a race on either Austin or Travis (he could not remember which) since it did not seem as though the Austin City COuncil would allow them back on Town Lake.

Whatever I hear I will let you know.

MO

[Rocket]

Thanks Mo!
I know they are trying real hard! The dang city just dosn't understand how much $$$$$$ that could mean to the city! Between 4&5 Million bucks for one weekend of trouble! Bet that the Art-fairs can't say that!

Hey isn't there a pretty good place on Lake Austin down by the state park? Problem is we need two boat ramps (perferably) and the big boats need alot of shut down!


The noise in those canyons might be a little too much!:eek:

[motexas]

Well Rocket I was going to ask dad about that, it has been a few years since I was on Austin or Travis. When I was down that way earlier this summer I was going to get out to both lakes but didnt. Just like I never made it to a lot of the races I wanted to this year.

Yea I do not understand why Austin would not come to their scenses, but as much as I Love the are around Austin, some of the ones that run the city I could do without.

I donot even think that it has a lot to do with the races from the 70's, but that they all are a bunch city folk that do not understnd what the races will bring. Hell for quite awhile the groups down in Corpus did not want the offshore races around, but after they got smart and got them there, they have turned out a sucess.

Oh well just me venting, I get sick and tired of the ones like that that think they know what is best for everyone. I have been going to my local city council meeting up here and just get frustrated with them all. We are supposed to have a vote, but it never works out that way.

MO

[Rocket]

City Councils! The only job you can get and vote yourself a pay raise! And there is nothing anybody can do about it!


A friend of mine called me last week and was bitchen about the same thing! Seems that my Home town (Emmett Idaho) just voted themselves a 33% pay raise! Then they work the city's budget out around that! Go figure!

A part time job tha pays $37K a year in a little town in Idaho! Cost of living is probably 12K a year!



In Austin they are more worried about the spending money on saving the trees (which they don't have) and saving the little lizards and frogs, then they are about making the city any money!

[Rocket]

While I'm bitchen about city councils!

Where I live now (Tyler TX) they have been trying to get a "Tree ordinace" in this town! Have you ever seen Tyler? Freak'n Trees everywhere!

Anyway, they want it to say,,,,,, That when you buy a lot in the city, you would have to survey every tree, identify it, and what caliper it is. Then after you build your house, you would have to put back that much on your lot! Or if you don't have any room you would have to pay the city like $150.00 per tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All our lots are SOLID Trees!

So on a 70 x 120' lot, you place a 50 x 60 house, Cut the grade so that you don't flood or flood your neighbor, and put in a 12 x 40' driveway........ Hmmmmmmm Where ya going to put all them trees?

Sorry, Just bitchen!:mad:

[motexas]

I hear Ya Rocket!!!! Lets just see how this bad boy turns out, if the do not go back to Town Lake, maybe ther will be another on Austin or Travis. Hell the traffic in Austin is bad anyway, getting down there back in the 70's sucked and would be whole lot worse today.

MO