LAKEPORT >> After much debate, the City of Lakeport approved the authorization of the city streets and Library Park for this year’s Lakeport Sprint Boat Grand Prix.
This event will take place the first weekend in June, starting Friday, June 1 and ending on June 3. The coordinator of the event, Jack Long from Clearlake Motor Sports Enterprises, said he is looking to occupy more space and increasing the time frame of the happening.
This event was only approved with the condition that the other necessary permits needed from the county are approved. Some of the requirements needed for this event are street and property closures, public notices, alcohol sales, payment for city cost and insurance.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said this will result in an additional cost, as well as the leftover amount from last year that still needs to be paid off.
“The day of June first, they would close the area if this were to be approved at six in the morning for set up, but the events would actually take place on the second and the third,” Rasmussen said. “They have expanded the request this year to include a three-hour block of time to close Main Street for a display of boats that are going to be involved in the race.”
Much like last year, the boat docks will be open at specific times throughout the day during the races for those who want to ride their boats over and tie them up. However, the boat docks that are located within the area of where the race will occur will stay closed and unusable.
A few council members expressed their concern for this event to occur due to the outstanding funds still owed from last year’s race. It was agreed after some discussion that the council would give the race a second chance this year to see if the cost can be repaid.
Rasmussen said the total cost for the city for this event would be $7,840. These are funds that will be taken out of the general fund and are not budgeted. This will be from the staffing of police for the event as well as public works staff’s involvement.
Long said after assessing how the event went last year, they are taking a different approach and will be able to not only cover the cost for this year’s event but pay back the remaining funds from last year.
“We have taken a different approach for outreach and are using social media to attract more people to come to the event,” Long said. “We have also reduced staffing by 40 percent which will save us some of the cost.”
He said he feels this event will have a much larger turn out in comparison from last year as well as be more cost-effective. Over these next few weeks, he will be making sure all the other appropriate permits and notices are put out to ensure the event can take place.
Tickets can be found online at sprintboatracegrandprix.com/tickets and are being sold for as low as $5. Presale ticket prices for adults are $10 per person.
