The Dad Vail Regatta, the rowing event proudly hosted by Philadelphia for more than a half-century, will be held in North Jersey for the 2010 races.
Spokesman Harry Stinger confirmed Tuesday that next May's famous rowing event will be held 90 miles northeast of Philadelphia in Rumson, N.J. Organizers say city costs have doubled and corporate donations have dipped, and Rumson offered to contribute $250,000 to next year's race.
"Rumson, New Jersey, representatives approached us after learning that we have a need to restore financial reserves and made a very compelling proposal to host the event in 2010," Jim Hanna, Dad Vail president, said in a press release. "Their support will preclude the need for large increases in registration fees to participating crews while continuing to benefit the Philadelphia community rowing programs."
Philadelphia city officials said they are disappointed that the decision to move the regatta was made before organizers met with the city.
"This was a bogus process, leading to a bogus outcome," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. "The fact of the matter is that the Dad Vail organization took money from the other city before they met with us."
But officials for the regatta say the money was too good to pass up. "Once somebody else was coming up to bat to refill the reserve fund, it appeared that most likely we were gonna take that," said Dad Vail Regatta Committee Chairman Jack Galloway.
Up in Rumson, they are thrilled. John Ekdahl, mayor of the Monmouth County town, thinks the event will benefit Rumson and other towns along the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.
Stinger says the Dad Vail was actually held in Rumson one year in the 1930s. Held in Philadelphia since 1953, the two-day event attracted 122 schools last year and draws about 30,000 to 35,000 spectators.
