Here’s a little plot twist on the whole Sports Commission/Convention and Visitor Bureau squabble that we’re following.
We just received a press release from the Sports Commission announcing that the USA Cycling Road Masters National Championships will be returning for a third year. Typical press release language, including a quote from the cycling organization’s Steve Johnson and one from Sports Commission president Diane McGraw.
Now, this is old news. Last week, CVB director Jim Wood told the media about the cycling contract. And it pissed McGraw off. She was on vacation, and on Monday we published a lengthy letter from her to her board criticizing Wood. In fact, it contained a detailed explanation of why she was upset that Wood released the cycling info to media without her knowledge.
McGraw wrote that she had spent some time hosting Johnson and making arrangements to announce the renewal. She said the client, Johnson, was surprised when Wood talked about the deal to the media.
Is it surprising that McGraw, still on vacation, followed through on her plan to release the cycling news and include her own quote in it? Given the assumed animosity that exists between her and Wood, who controls the Sports Commission purse strings, it is. Let’s use a sports term and just call it ballsy.
Both McGraw and Wood serve at the pleasure of their respective boards, and Wood doesn’t have the power to fire McGraw. Both organizations have as their main purpose putting heads in beds at hotels by attracting events to the city. It’s natural that their efforts would come into conflict. So it appears we’ve got an old-fashioned turf war.
The act of putting out a news release seems more an act of defiance than an attempt to disseminate news, especially when the news is far from timely, focused on an event a year away.
We don’t know whether McGraw and Wood have talked since her letter was made public, but neither side seems willing to talk publicly, for now. But this isn’t the end of the story.
6 responses so far ↓
1 who cares... // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:05 pm
My pulse didn’t activate when I read the release about cycling. If that’s what the commission is supposed to do, Wood should cut McGraw off. Bring something to the city–anything–that is exciting, not this stuff that gets lost on the back page. Ho hummmmm…
2 Hey...he was asked a ? // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:21 pm
All Jim Wood did was answer a question. And McGraw wrote War and Peace because of it? Apparently she isn’t real busy. Mr. Mayor, off with her head…of course the question is, does she have one?
3 rhdy // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:52 pm
To me, it seems like the Sports Commission should be handling things with, I don’t know, sporting events I guess, and the Convention and Visitor Bureau should handle conventions and other activities that draw out of town visitors. Why is the CVB getting into the Sports Commission’s area??
BTW, there are TONS of boring conventions in this town that no one hears about.
4 llh // Jul 8, 2009 at 10:43 pm
She isn’t busy, she hasn’t brought anything sports wise to this city in the two years since she accepted her position. She’s mad because Jim Wood stole her fire. The thing that was going to make her look good. That was going to make her look like she was doing something. The truth is she has done nothing!
5 Bruce Maples // Jul 8, 2009 at 10:57 pm
@rhdy — exactly. If you’re working to get a sporting event, guess who should be doing the work? The Sports Commission! And if you’re working to get a convention here? You get two guesses for this one.
As for the other (anonymous) posters who claim she’s not doing anything — if that’s true, then Jim Wood should take care of his convention business and let her dig her own grave. By stepping into her space in public — AND not having a thing to do with the Sports Commission in private — he’s just giving her/them something to shift blame to (if you are correct that she/they aren’t doing anything).
6 402kid // Jul 9, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Did the Sports commission ever release their stategic plan. It was suppose to be released in April. I think the biggest problem is that there are 50 officers or members of the Executive Committee. That is way too many individuals and I am sure some have agendas and egos beyond anyones belief.
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