Click on the photo to read a proclamation from Mayor Wiegman in 2011 regarding this event and form your own conclusions. It comes from the village website. A 2010 proclamation is also here http://www.crotononhudson-ny.gov/public_documents/CrotonHudsonNY_WebDocs/Mayor/Toughman-Proclamation_2010_seal.pdf
For a handy guide to navigating this year's Toughman detours, with thanks to Richard Nagle, click on the link http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2015/08/toughman-update-2015-guide-to.html
Tx for getting this out there, Linda
ReplyDeleteI still think it's ridiculous that the "hundreds" of Toughman competitors take precedence over the thousands across the county who are affected.
ReplyDeleteI still think it's unfair and very intrusive that those of us trying to attend Sunday mass must face literal roadblocks to get to where we need to go.
And I still think it's a complete oversight/laziness that the village claims that Croton's businesses reap financial benefit from this, yet from what I can see, there's no real promotion going on. This event is about 2 weeks away. I'd love to know how our businesses are being promoted to Toughman competitors. Any lunch/dinner specials? Coupons? Anything??
HI Cozy, food is served out at the Point and literally no one I know from other towns wants to come here at all that day. This is because until the very last runner is accounted for, everything is shut down and that means that you never know when the roads will be open again. I know that a few businesses tried to have specials way back when and ended up throwing out food! Even worse, people who live here just don't go out at all or leave the village completely and spend their money elsewhere! That's what we're doing. As for the Toughman being promoted, there have been articles about it everywhere. They get lots of free p.r. the most recent being a mention in the New York Times.
DeleteAlso read Dick Nagle's letter about how one business on Croton Point Avenue who if not for the police buying food, wouold have made nothing from this mess.
DeleteEvening Cozy. Spectators end up at the Point to eat and then leave. Back in 2010 and 2011, specials and discounts were offered by at least a half dozen Croton businesses. Ad space was bought; promotion occurred on local blogs and FB pages; flyers were posted in and outside the village. I know because we all collaborated on getting the word out. These businesses not only reported no increased business, four reported even less business than usual. It's unfortunate. There are currently two businesses on the village outskirts who report that they will more than likely close for the day or open significantly later and two in the village who will most likely close entirely.
ReplyDeleteI also refer you to an excerpt from a September 2014 statement by Dick Nagle to the village board:
"As for Dr. Izzo’s remark last December that a “marketing survey” claimed that the 2013 race generated $3.2 million dollars in income for Westchester County, I would love to see the methodology employed to come up with that figure and how accurate it truly is. What is accurate is that the manager of Giovanni’s on Croton Point Ave. told me personally that if it had not been for the $240 the Croton Police Department spent on lunch on the day of the race they might as well have stayed home. Indeed, 13 other local merchants from Shop Rite, the Gulf gas station and the delis in Harmon revealed to me, without exception, that the event had a negative impact on business or no impact at all. I don’t know where the $3.2 million dollars went but it sure did not come to Croton."
Most shopkeepers here want no part of this event and gave up long ago.
All and all a bad situation for everyone.
One even had Toughman magnets made up to give away to the kids. He gave away two, threw the rest away.
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty of blame to go around but it is also clear. These guys love the Toughman. It's the capstone to our BikeWeek, you know, the one that generated zero interest and zero money for the businesses.
ReplyDeleteIs the food served at the Point from Croton-based restaurants/vendors? If not, wouldn't that make the most sense if the Village wants our businesses to reap financial benefits? Why not feature a "Best of Croton" marketplace down at the Point, with "pop-up" shops and food featuring offerings only from our local businesses? I haven't gone down to the Point during Toughman (usually you can find me stuck in ShopRite traffic or hunkering down at my house on that day), so I don't know who the vendors are. But if they're not from Croton, well, that's completely stupid.
ReplyDeleteThere are no real vendors per se; the food comes from a Deccicco's this year I believe. Bottom line it's race, eat, go home. Croton businesses are by and large, simply not interested in wasting their time.
DeleteI don't think Dick Nagle has ever been properly thanked for all he has done in this regard from talking to the businesses that have been impacted to the safety issues to mapping out the detours so those of us who cannot stay home can t least try to get around. So thank you Dick Nagle for all you do. Linda
ReplyDelete