Brady: Dad Vail's move to NJ is no sure thing

Although it has seemed for weeks that Philadelphia lost the fight to keep the 2010 Dad Vail regatta, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady says not so fast. His office this morning issued a news release saying that the Dad Vail does not, in fact, have all the guarantees it purported to have to move the race to Rumson, N.J.

Here's the press release from Brady:

PHILADELPHIA ---Congressman Robert A. Brady (D., PA) today asked Mayor Michael Nutter to grant the Dad Vail Organizing Committee's (DVOC) request to hold open the 2010 Dad Vail date in light of publication of a Letter of Understanding signed by the Borough Council of Rumson and the Dad Vail Organizing Committee (DVOC) showing that the DVOC has overstated its relationship with Rumson and the commitments Rumson has made to it.

Brady said, "In November the DVOC informed Philadelphia that it was moving to Rumson because Rumson had put up $250,000 for the event and promised to lower costs. Their representations led the Daily News to headline its story (November 14, 2009): N.J. town puts $ behind its offer to host regatta. The Philadelphia Inquirer (November 19, 2009): "It was an offer the Dad Vail Regatta could not refuse, and one that the cash-strapped City of Philadelphia could not hope to match: $250,000 in guaranteed donations, and sharply lowered operating costs to boot."

Brady continued, "The letter of understanding, however, shows that the Dad Vail Committee has no guaranteed money, no negotiated costs, and no governmental approvals to move this race to Rumson."

The letter of understanding states:

Stipulation 6: The Borough of Rumson and the Rumson Dad Vail Committee are not guaranteeing the Dad Vail Committee any minimum set amount of revenue from the event of from the fundraising that will take place for the event.

Stipulation 5: The Dad Vail Committee will be solely responsible for all Regatta costs borne by Rumson and/or other governmental agencies prior to, during and after the Dad Vail Regatta. No taxpayer money will be used to fund the Regatta.

Brady continued, "It is ironic that, at the same time the DVOC was asking Philadelphia taxpayers to foot the bill for their regatta in Philadelphia, they were negotiating a deal with Rumson that explicitly exempts their taxpayers from paying for the event."

Brady concluded, "At this time, there is only one city that has approved a Dad Vail Regatta for 2010, only one city prepared to commit public resources to the Dad Vail, and one city ready to welcome its 30,000 spectators; and that city is Philadelphia."

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