AIR LAUDERDALE [PODCAST] - Mayor Jack Sieler and CEO Stan Smith Discuss the Festival and Air Show Cancellation with WFTL850's Russ Morley

[PLAY PODCAST NOW!] Listen to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Sieler and Air Lauderdale's CEO, Stan Smith as they discuss with WFTL850's Russ Morley, the cancellation of the 2010 Festival and Air Show. 

AIR LAUDERDALE [PODCAST] - CEO Stan Smith Discusses Need for Angel Investor with WFTL850's Russ Morley

[PLAY PODCAST NOW!] Listen to Air Lauderdale's CEO, Stan Smith as he discusses with WFTL850's Russ Morley, the need for an "Angel Investor" to save the 2010 Festival and Air Show. Click on the headline, or [PLAY PODCAST NOW!].

  

Air Lauderdale Beach Fest 2010 Canceled

Much to our sincere regret, we must announce today that the Air Lauderdale Beach Fest 2010, scheduled for April 24 and 25, has been canceled. Several factors have made the production of a quality event financially untenable at this time including the estimated cost of Fort Lauderdale City Services ($500,000 to  $600,000), the required $1 million bond and the overall soft economy.  The unavailability of the Air Force Thunderbirds or the Navy Blue Angels also negatively impacted the already weak sponsorship market.

We wish to thank the U.S. Military, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission and staff for their hard work, support and encouragement. We’re also grateful to our loyal sponsors and the many enthusiastic supporters, volunteers and Facebook fans who did step forward to help bring the community together to Thank the Troops.

We also wish to extend our appreciation for the guidance and support of Broward Mayor Ken Keechl and Nicki Grossman of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. We will continue with our efforts to support Fleet Week’s 20th anniversary by holding a kick off event at the beach in late April. Our plans for 2011 are forthcoming.

For those patrons who purchased tickets online, your money will be refunded shortly.

Air show on verge of cancellation, needs "angel investor''

>Posted by Brittany Wallman on March 8, 2010 10:42 AM

The Fort Lauderdale air show that was planned for April 24-25, the promised resurrection of one of South Florida's most popular events, is on the verge of cancellation.

Air show would-be producer Stan Smith said Monday he's run out of time and doesn't have enough money. Only if an "angel'' sponsor materialized Monday or Tuesday could he put it on.

"It's very sad to run out of time,'' Smith said. "Everyone wanted it to happen. It's just that at the end of the day, no one knows how to pay for it.''

Smith said one of the hardships he faced was securing a $1 million bond the city of Fort Lauderdale required. The bond would pay the city its estimated $500,000 to $600,000 in costs, plus pay for any property damage, if Smith couldn't pay. But Smith couldn't get the bond; he'd need someone to co-sign for his new operation.

Smith was trying to bring back the air show made popular by Mickey Markoff. The show ended after a 13-year run in Fort Lauderdale when Markoff lost his key sponsor. Smith's show, Air Lauderdale Beach Fest, would have been smaller and different than Markoff's show.

Smith planned to charge an entry fee at the best viewing locations. And he didn't have the most popular air act, the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds fighter jets that shocked and awed the crowds.
He had enlarged the area where the festival would occur, and planned a Green Village, a Politics Village, a Thank the Troops Zone, live music, et cetera.

I can tell you, because I receive the phone calls here at my desk on a regular basis, quite a few out-of-towners book their vacations around this event.

Smith said he needs to cancel the show now out of fairness to anyone who might spend time or money on the show, only to have it not go off.

"It's heartbreaking,'' he said. "So many people have worked hard.''

Smith had no experience putting on a show of this magnitude. A public relations consultant, he previously worked for H. Wayne Huizenga.

This story is his "final plea to the community.'' He said he needs "less than a million dollars'' but wouldn't say how much, from a title sponsor or a collection of sponsors, to save the show.

AIR LAUDERDALE - Festival and Air Show Event Times

Many of our fans and supporters have been asking about the Festival Event and Air Show schedules.  We look forward to an amazing first year event that includes plenty of activities and events for those who are attending the Festival, as well as a first class Air Show!  The Festival will be open from 8:30am until 7:00pm with music throughout the day and events in the Thank the Troops Zone, the Kids Zone, the Extreme Sports Zone, and the Green Break Village.  Here's the current schedule for both Saturday and Sunday.  Additional information and details will follow in the coming days.

Air Lauderdale Beach Fest Schedule
  8:30am               Festival Opens
11:00am               Music Begins
12:00pm               Air Show Begins
  3:15pm               Air Show Ends
  3:30pm               Music Continues on 2 Stages (Americana & Rock/Urban)
  6:00pm               Music Headline Act
  7:00pm               Event Closes

For up to date information, please sign up to be part of THE AIR TEAM on our Homepage!

  

AIR LAUDERDALE - New Website Updates

Air Lauderdale has updated there website to include all of there latest Sponsors and Partners to the event.  Stop by and see all of the latest news and updates on the Home page with a realtime feed so you can stay up to date with all that is happening as we get closer to the event.  You can now join "The Air Team" by subscribing to email updates based on your interests.  Just click on the image you see in this article to start the process.  If you have not been to the website lately, stop by and see what's new at AirLauderdale.com.