After about a week of work the city of Astoria consultant for the ACC says the thing can actually meet it's expenses and make money!
How?
By doing what I and many others suggested for years. He has created a marketing plan to make the pool work better for guests and cut operational expenses. he has proposed a modest drop in fees for kids and modest increase for adults while adding some bonus features for those who buy a multi-swim pass. The center would be open later and would not close during the day. He stresses swim lessons which he says is the core reason for having a city pool in the first place.
If he is right and this is all it takes to take a tremendous burden off the city and it's citizens then I think we need to understand why it took a threat of closure to take this simple step.
We've heard "it will pay for itself" before. I'm hopeful.
I drank a Ft. George beer last night. I did not feel refreshed. It made me feel slugggish and lethargic. Maybe you have to be an alcoholic to feel "refreshed" after drinking a beer...
ReplyDeleteYes we have heard the line "will pay for itself" before. and I'm sure we'll hear it again. The question is... will we fall for it again?
ReplyDeleteNext time an official or politician says that it will "pay for itself" I'd like them to offer side bets to skeptics. They want to bet taxpayer dollars that the pool will float or Sea-Port will fly, so they should also bet some of their own money.
Slugish? Really? One beer?
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