I have long questioned whether the events sponsored by the Shorewood BID actually help or hurt Shorewood business. Last week’s Criterium bicycle race, on July 19th, afforded an opportunity to do an assessment of a BID event.
A “pre race” press release from the BID read:
“We’re excited about bringing this great race to our community for the fourth year in a row,” says BID Executive Director Jim Plaisted. “The Criterium’s successful record of attracting thousands of spectators and potential shoppers offers many advantages to businesses and we encourage everyone to join in and help promote the race.”
I did an informal survey of the businesses in the 4400 – 4500 block of N Oakland, during the race, to see what the business owners had to say about this BID event.
One of the business owners, Tim Wick, e mailed me the next day with the following:
“At the race last night we talked about the impact of the bike race on retailers.
I tried to figure out a fair way to judge the impact. I took my daily total sales number from the last seven Thursdays.
I then came up with an average of what a normal Thursday would be…………. it comes out to about a forty percent decrease in sales on the day of the bike race.
I also looked back on last years number and found the loses to be the same.
Given the facts, I feel this event is to costly to the village and its retailers.
The police and DPW spend thousands in over time.
The retailers suffer loses, so who really profits from this?
Tim Wick”
As Shorewood residents know, several streets are closed to parking starting at noon on race day, including most of N Oakland Avenue, which is lined with businesses.
Among the other businesses I talked with:
1) A business owner of a service business said that he not only loses business for the day, but that he has had customers say they would not come back, and would take their business to someplace where they do not close the street to parking for customers.
2) A restaurant owner told me that he lost business for the day, especially his lunch crowd, due to the closed street.
3) Another restaurant owner thought he might do a little better on race day --- maybe 5%, but he wasn’t sure, and said he could also be losing some business. He promised to get me numbers when he had them.
4) Another service business that ironically helped sponsor the race said the street closing hurt his business, he got no more business due to the race, and he really questioned any future sponsorship.
5) A merchant specializing in confections, said their business was down for the day, and were hoping it would pick up later.
Overall, the business owners I had an opportunity to speak with, thought the Criterium hurt rather than helped their businesses.
The BID district also claimed that “thousands” of spectators and potential shoppers" would be attracted to the race.
In my rough estimation, aside from the racers, the race support crews and others involved in the race, there were maybe a few hundred spectators. I am trying to quantify those numbers from a third party source.
In the end this is another example of the BID Wasting Tax Dollars and Hurting the very Businesses they are suppose to be Helping !
