2009 Lake George Poker Run and High Performance Boat Show

[Whoz Your Daddy]

that just blows.

[Nordic95]

I was thinking of going anyway but we need to take money out of there pocket.Thats the only way they might listen.I bet collectively we would have spent 50gs or more that weekend as a group.thats a lot of money that will no longer be in there economy.I will spend mine were I am welcome.
I spoke with Norm tonight and I believe he is a stand up guy he put a lot of time and effort into this.Norm if you would like to deduct some money from my refund for the cost of the shirt please feel free to do so.

I agree with you 100%, we need to boycot the lake that weekend. If we don't show up and don't spend any money then maybe the local buisnesses would speak up on our behalf also for future gatherings. I know last year a few of us showed up for a FUN RUN just to be harassed by the LGPC for noise and safety violations. I just got off the phone with Marine Village and I was telling the manager what happened and she was really upset about it. Considering they raised there normal rates to holiday/event rates just for us and now I just cancelled 8 rooms plus 6 dock spaces. We need to stay away from that village and take our money to where they welcome us.

Nordic95

[Prostock85]

I agree with you 100%, we need to boycot the lake that weekend. If we don't show up and don't spend any money then maybe the local buisnesses would speak up on our behalf also for future gatherings. I know last year a few of us showed up for a FUN RUN just to be harassed by the LGPC for noise and safety violations. I just got off the phone with Marine Village and I was telling the manager what happened and she was really upset about it. Considering they raised there normal rates to holiday/event rates just for us and now I just cancelled 8 rooms plus 6 dock spaces. We need to stay away from that village and take our money to where they welcome us.

Nordic95

Agreed, This absolutely sucks for us but the real people it will hurt is the local businesses. I know of many people that have been looking forward to this run/weekend. Shame on many parts. Thanks for your time and efforts Norm. Too many politics in the world today. Maybe next year.


Not that it matters now but check was sent out Friday

[glh]

I just sent this out, if anyone thinks of others that need to be cced, let me know...

Bunch of mental midgets on those commissions, no wonder NY state is run so effectively...

From:G.L. Harvie
To:'info@lgpc.state.ny.us'
Cc: 'emanuel@poststar.com'; 'tingley@poststar.com'; 'info@lakegeorgechamber.com'; 'permits@lgpc.state.ny.us'; 'mpwhite@lgpc.state.ny.us'; 'opdir@lgpc.state.ny.us'; 'pkranger@lgpc.state.ny.us'; 'info@fortwilliamhenry.com'; 'lakegeorgemirror@gmail.com'; 'lgvmayor@nycap.rr.com'; 'apmonlg@nycap.rr.com'; 'diamondcovecotgs@aol.com'; 'reserve@thesagamore.com'

Subject: Cancelling of Regatta Permit issued by the DEC to Poker Run Production LLC for weekend of October 10th 2009

Bruce E. Young, Chairman
Lake George Park Commission
75 Fort George Road, PO Box 749
Lake George, New York 12845

BY EMAIL

Mr. Young,

It is with great regret that I was informed yesterday that your agency had asked to revoke the Regatta Permit issued by the DEC to Poker Run Production LLC for a Poker Run to take place on the Lake weekend of October 10th 2009.

Our team and I have participated in most of these kinds of runs and their different incarnations on Lake George for the past seven years. We participate in multiple Poker Runs around the country every year and have a great time doing so.

Your decision will not affect our enjoyment of these events since I will more than likely send my boat and my crew in another location for that weekend.

A Poker Run weekend as such represents on my end expenses conservatively evaluated at $4,000 to $5,000 of which I can assure you at least 80% goes to the local establishments, namely hotels, restaurants, marinas, souvenir shops & many other local entities.

Seems your actions has deprived the local community of easily $250,000 to $350,000 in spending for what is known as a very calm weekend in your area I have been told. This conservative guess is from our group attending passed events on Lake George where easily 70-80 boats have been present from out of town.

Your area hosts Americade and a national car shows why are you singling out boaters? In these economic times I fail to see the wisdom in your Commission's decision but I am sure you have an ulterior motive that all the businesses who will suffer these losses will greatly appreciate.

As for us rest assure we will go somewhere else far from Lake George and spend those moneys anyway trying to help the country get back on track economically.

Have a great weekend on your sailboat.

Respectfully,

G.L. Harvie, President
Limestone Development LLC, Burlington, VT

[Carguy]

I got some juice at the post star Ill make sure they got that email. Things like this is why I choose to keep my boat on a trailer and not spend the 5-6000 for a dock, which would result in gas on the lake, dinners on the lake, boat repairs on the lake. These guys are unreal. I was on Canada Street yesterday. NOONE there. I think all the fresh air up here is making those in charge braindead.

Green eyes What's Blaize's stance on this?

[MahopacMarine]

We will be trying to move up our Fun Run on the Hudson to this date. Most of us are ready to run that weekend. Stay tuned. I will speak with Norm to make sure he doesnt have an issue with it.

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

When I spoke with Norm last night he said he would be reaching out to you. He didn't seem that moving the Hudson Run up would be any problem, but he should be contacting you if he hasn't already....

[Gladhe8er]

We will be trying to move up our Fun Run on the Hudson to this date. Most of us are ready to run that weekend. Stay tuned. I will speak with Norm to make sure he doesnt have an issue with it.

We'll bring our 2-3 boats...

Terrible. Shame on the park commission.

[MahopacMarine]

We'll bring our 2-3 boats...

Terrible. Shame on the park commission.

I look forward to seeing you guys!!!

[Big Time]

I just sent this e-mail:

September 28, 2009


Bruce E. Young
Chairman
Lake George Park Commission
75 Fort George Road, PO Box 749
Lake George, New York 12845


Dear Mr. Young:

It is my understanding that the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC) has filed a with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to revoke the regatta permit for the Poker Run scheduled to take place on Lake George the weekend of October 10th 2009. I can not express enough my disappointed with the decision made by your agency.

We had planned a family trip that weekend to attend and participate in the poker run with three separate boats. My father and mother had planned to run their boat along with my sister and her fiancé who has already purchased a ticket to fly into Albany International Airport for the weekend. My brother was going to do the run in his boat along with his wife and another couple. And finally I was to use my boat along with 3 other crew members on my team. In total we would have had 12 people in my party from out of town, who now feel incredibly let down by your commission’s recent decision.

Aside from the disappointment felt by the members of my party planning to attend, it is the local economy that suffers the most. It is hard for me to put a number on what the 12 members of my party would have injected into the economy (my plan was to stay from Thursday through Monday), but I can assure you that your local business’ would have welcomed our patronage in what is typically a slow time of year.

What is most disappointing is the fact that the organizer(s) and sponsors went through a tremendous amount of trouble to put this event together and, from what I understand, have been more than compliant with the prior requests that your agency has made in order to make this a fun and, most importantly, a safe event. Make no mistake about it, safety is paramount at these events, and with strict rules to follow the speed limit behind a pace boat (as was the case with this event), there is no doubt in my mind that this event would have easily gone of without a hitch as it has in years past.

Make no mistake about it, this event WILL go on! However to the dismay of the local merchants and business owners, it will not be happening on Lake George.

Regards,

Christopher M. Aitkin

[Big Time]

I look forward to seeing you guys!!!

See you there!

[JoeD]

Boy ---this just sucks.

[JoeD]

I just spoke to the owner of Marine Village Resort where several of us have rooms booked for 3-4 days each , she is driving over to the LGPC today to voice her opinions on the matter.

[Green Eyes]

We will be trying to move up our Fun Run on the Hudson to this date. Most of us are ready to run that weekend. Stay tuned. I will speak with Norm to make sure he doesnt have an issue with it.

I spoke to Charlie this morning and told him that I had no problem with Mahopac holding it's Fun Run on Oct. 10th. I'm happy to have him fill the void.

[Green Eyes]

I got some juice at the post star Ill make sure they got that email. Things like this is why I choose to keep my boat on a trailer and not spend the 5-6000 for a dock, which would result in gas on the lake, dinners on the lake, boat repairs on the lake. These guys are unreal. I was on Canada Street yesterday. NOONE there. I think all the fresh air up here is making those in charge braindead.

Green eyes What's Blaize's stance on this?

Mayor Blais has been fully supportive of this event since day 1. He's done nothing but help us. Unfortunately, he doesn't control the LGPC.
I have nothing to say but good things about Mayor Blais.

[MahopacMarine]

I spoke to Charlie this morning and told him that I had no problem with Mahopac holding it's Fun Run on Oct. 10th. I'm happy to have him fill the void.

Thanks Norm. I hope you will be able to make it to enjoy boating with us. Please dont let this get you down. You have put a ton of time and effort into this. For that I am sure we all thank you.

[Gladhe8er]

Thanks Norm. I hope you will be able to make it to enjoy boating with us. Please dont let this get you down. You have put a ton of time and effort into this. For that I am sure we all thank you.

Agreed. Bring that bad-azz Pantera down to the Hudson!

[Gladhe8er]

My letter:

Bruce E. Young
Chairman
Lake George Park Commission
75 Fort George Road, PO Box 749
Lake George, New York 12845

Dear Mr. Young,

I know I am not the first and am confident that I will not be the last to write to you expressing the disappointment over the cancellation of this event. My brother already wrote to you about how my family had 3 boats and 12 people lined up to attend this event including my sister’s fiancé who is flying in from Jackson, MS for what was supposed to be his first ride on a high performance powerboat. I guess he will have to wait until next year.

My issue is not so much that you are not allowing this event to happen; it is that you sought to revoke the approved permit 2 weeks before the event was scheduled to occur. If you had shot down the poker run organizers back in June, I’m sure there would have been some minor flack and some “that sucks” comments, but at least people would not have booked their schedules and planned a long weekend on beautiful Lake George. Also, as of today I hear that some people are having a hard time getting their deposits back from some of the hotels up there. That is the last thing anyone wants to deal with at this point.

I am no stranger to Lake George. My family has had a house 5 miles outside of town since the 1970’s and I spend 40-50 nights a year up there mostly in the winter because my boat is not welcome on Lake George, which is fine with me…I boat in Long Island Sound and do not have to worry about noise limits, speed limits, trailering time/expenses, launch passes, season permits, etc. My point is I have seen what is happening up there over the last 10 years as far as the economy goes. I went to a college in Albany which is less than an hour away and my friends and I would head up there from time to time to check out the scene in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Hotels were sold out and there were $20 covers at some bars with lines around the corner. If a bar in Lake George tried to charge that today, forget it…they would be closed in a month and I do not see many “No Vacancy” signs up either. I do not think that the economy is doing so well that you can turn away the amount of money that this poker run would have brought into the local economy in the form of hotel rooms, fuel, meals, nightlife, souvenirs and apparel.

I know that safety was one of the main reasons for the cancellation. First of all, the speed limit was never raised from 45 MPH, so we were going to abide by that. Secondly, we all know what we are doing behind the wheel of a performance boat. I have no doubt in my mind that we would have been safer as a group than the people who go to Lake George and rent boat. I still can not believe that NYS does not make people get a boating license like they do here in Connecticut. The things I have seen rental boats do in that lake over the years boggles my mind. The LGPC should be more concerned with those people.

Again, this is very disappointing. It is just another incident that is going to push people away from Lake George and leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Submitted respectfully,

Peter Aitkin Jr.

Pete Aitkin
Director, Client Development

21 River Road Suite 2000
Wilton, CT 06897

[Fast Shafts]

Although I was not going to participate in the Poker Run, I visit Lake George annually on Columbus Day weekend. Hanging out with people I know and watching the Poker Run while taking a cruise on the Mininhaha was a bonus.
I also cancelled my reservations and will be visiting Lake Champlaine instead.
I'm originally from Clifton Park NY, and have great memories of skipping school, driving to Lake George, and "borrowing" my dads boat. Maybe its time to start a new tradition-elsewhere.

[Carguy]

Nice letter Tim sharkey in the Post star today. Alot of people are talking abou this here. Maybe try again next year. Well see