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The city has announced the streets that will be closed downtown during the upcoming Family Motor Coach Association Six-State Rally (or as I like to think of it, the RV Revival Meeting), which will be Sept. 19-29. For the full announcement, click "Read More." Argenta, of course, will bear the total weight of inconveniences, since they're going to be staying along our riverfront. And not just in the new RV park the mayor's had built -- they'll be stretched out as far as the Broadway Bridge, it seems. With the notification that the river trail will be closed between Broadway and I-30, that implies RVs will be parked in the North Shore Riverwalk, as well. So don't plan to stretch your legs on the publicly funded promenade while our visitors are here; not to worry, plenty of good walking among Argenta's lovely residential streets.
| | | | North Little Rock Visitors Bureau PO Box 5511 North Little Rock, AR 72119-5511 (501) 758-1424 FAX (501) 758-5752
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www.northlittlerock.travel | | 
DATED MATERIAL For Immediate Release For more information contact: Bob Major at (501) 372-5959 Street Closures Announced For Six-State Motorcoach Rally (September 11, 2008 – North Little Rock, AR) The City of North Little Rock will be hosting the Family Motorcoach Association’s Six-State Rally September 19 through September 29, 2008 in downtown North Little Rock in the North Shore River District. To date, over 1,000 motorcoaches have registered to attend the rally. The motorcoaches will be located from Karrot Street to Washington Avenue on both sides of the seawall and from Second Street and Willow to Riverfront Drive. For safety concerns of the large number of rally attendees, Riverfront Drive from Karrot Street to Washington Avenue will be closed at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 22 and will re-open at noon on Monday, September 29. The Arkansas River Trail from the Broadway Bridge to I-30 is scheduled to be closed Monday, September 22 and re-open Monday, September 29. There will be limited access to the North River Landing Boat Ramp September 19 through 29. Boaters are encouraged to launch from Burns Park in North Little Rock or Murray Park in Little Rock. For detailed information regarding the Six-State Rally Association’s events open to the public contact the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce at (501) 372-5959.
Man oh man
Written by Chauncy Gardener, on 11-09-2008 19:04
I wish all them motorcoach people would just take their dirty money an git outta here. You know they'll be cloggin' up our bars and restaurants. Heck, some of them folks may even want to buy Townhomes here. Why couldn't the Mayor just leave that useless weed lot alone instead of trying to make some money for the city? |
Oh My
Written by Big dog daddy, on 11-09-2008 19:58
Chauncy we're gonna make a real North Little Rockian out of you yet. Your comin right along. |
Disaster in progress...
Written by reader, on 12-09-2008 04:54
Anyone want to see what this FMCA Rally disaster-in-the-making is
actually going to LOOK like?
Just go to the following online image.
It is a satellite image of North Little Rock that shows EXACTLY
what that many motor homes parked along every available spot
in RiverFront Park AND all along Riverside Drive is ACTUALLY
going to look like...
Here is the online IMAGE... ( Netscape users: Click image to enlarge )...
http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee324/reader99/rally-disaster.jpg
But GUESS WHAT!...
Even with, as the image above shows, Full-Size Motor Coaches
crammed in like sardines and tearing up every inch of the
RiverFront... there still ISN'T ENOUGH ROOM.
The image shows that there can only really possibly be room
for about 700 Full-Size Motor Coaches. There are already more
than 1,000 ( ONE-THOUSAND ) of these beasts registered to
arrive starting September 22.
So where do they plan on parking the other 350-400 Coaches?
Along main street? Out in front of YOUR home? WHERE?
They MUST keep at least one side of RiverFront Drive OPEN just
for emergency reasons and, as they say, 'for the safety of the
regsitrants' or there will be no way for Coaches to actually
get OUT of the area or for emergency vehicles to get INTO
the area and reach individual Coaches.
Have to assume that will be the NORTH side of the Riverfront
Drive median so only the SOUTH side is avaialble for 'camping'.
Here's the best part... and the SCAM that is playing out right
in front of everyone here.
Even as of this writing (09/11/08), BOTH the 'official'
FMCA Six-State Region Rally website at...
http://www.sca-fmca.com/rally.htm
AND the official FMCA Nationwide Webiste which was/is
accepting reservations for this Rally...
https://secure.fmca.com/registration/index.asp?ConvenKey=SCA08
...mention anything about NOT have 'Full Service Hookups'
for ALL registrants.
There are no 'Discount Fees' shown for the parking spots
that will NOT have full electric, water, sewage and trash disposal.
Both FMCA websites have been, and are still, leading all registrants
to believe they will all have 'Full Service Camping Sites with a
beautiful view of the Arkansas River'.
There are going to be a lot of pissed-off people in your neighborhood
about 10 days from now...
...but did you know that they will all be granted "Honorary North
Little Rock Citizenship" the whole time they are here destroying
your beautiful RiverFront Park(s)? You can thank P. Hays for all this.
And what about the BIG DAM 100 Bike Race that's supposed to take
place the same Saturday when all these Coaches are around?
And what about the Arkansas Motor Home Show that's
is supposed to take place 'Along the Riverfront' the whole time
these people are here? you can subtract 100 parking spots somewhere
along RiverFront park for THAT puppy and so where does that
deficit get made up?
There is nothing about this event that doesn't have the word
'cluster' associated with it and a lot of lying and pulling the wool over people's eyes has been and is still going on here and Mayor Hays and Bob Major are
to blame.
I don't know who to fee more sorry for. The people of North Little Rock or the poor ( mostly retirees on fixed income ) that are getting screwed over here.
Express your disgust at the polling place. I'm going to. |
Commentary on map
Written by Eric Francis, on 12-09-2008 12:25
Reader, there is another spot where the city is planning to put RVs (as I understand it) that's not on your map. It's the vacant Smarthouse Way property on the left side of your map.
You note, correctly, that the river trail is open along that stretch and speculate it means the property won't be used; actually, the trail is separated from that land by the sea wall, so there's no reason to close it there.
Just wanted to pass on that bit of info. |
Checking with city
Written by Eric Francis, on 12-09-2008 12:33
I'm trying to find someone in the city to address the issues raised by Reader. Will post when I have a response. |
There's still time to shut it down...
Written by reader, on 12-09-2008 18:45
Anything you can find out would be good, Eric.
You have more pull than your average citizen.
See below.
There's still time to at least notify the registrants
of the actual realities they will be encountering and
that's still the honorable thing to do here.
What bothers me most is the way the whole thing has been/is
being mis-represented to the poor FMCA membership.
There is this from the official FMCA website at...
http://www.sca-fmca.com/rally.htm
[snip]
** Parking
Camping in downtown North Little Rock along the Arkansas River
30 amp electric provided - Water available - Trash and Waste Disposal
5 nights camping included in the rally fee (September 24 – 28)
...
Breakfast Buffet at the Wyndham Hotel (included in rally fee).
[/snip]
There is no ambiguity there or 'ifs' or 'buts'.
It establishes that your Registration fee for this NLR Rally
buys you 'Full Service Hookups' for FIVE DAYS.
It's a lie.
It probably amounts to actionable fraud.
For MotorCoach folks 'waste disposal' also implies that
the 'Campground' has an easily accessible spot for them
to exhaust their toilets.
Where is that gonna be? Inside the submarine?
...and what about the '30 amp electric provided'.
Provided by WHO? At WHAT Expense to the taxpayers
of NLR? So let's say that is a part of the total lie
and almost all these folks will be on their own when
they arrive. What happens then? Are they all going to
have to keep their onboard generators running for
FIVE DAYS while crammed in like sardines?
What happens when they all start running out of gas
on day THREE? Are their fuel trucks that are going
to come to them because they are all so crammed in
they can't even get out?
..and what's up with this '(Free) Breakfast Buffet (Every day?)
for ALL registrants ( over 1000 Coaches = ?? People ) at
the Wyndham Hotel? I've seen a simple wedding reception
at the Wyndham. There were only 1 or 2 hundred people
and it turned into a nightmare. What happens to that
place when it's upwards of 1,000 to 2,000 people
showing up all at once for their 'Free Breakfast'? Yikes.
I certainly hope someone has thought all this through,
because if they haven't... there is actually still time
to notify ALL the Registrants of the actual reality they
are going to encounter and let them make up their own
minds whether it's worth it to still come and/or have
a chance to get their money back.
I just get the feeling that some of the same planners
who helped with the Iraqui invasion and who were released
from their 'jobs' the day of the 'Mission Accomplished'
announcement were immediately hired by the FMCA and the
North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.
PS: If you do NOT get a (detailed) response then that will be just as interesting as it will be to hear what the real 'plan' is. It would mean they really DON'T have this thought out. |
Written by ctyankee, on 13-09-2008 01:06
Aren't the days of the motorcoach rally the same days that the NLR Chamber of Commerce is holding the annual business expo & "Taste of the Town" in the Alltel Arena? What's going to happen with parking for that event? |
Taste of the Town is SOLD OUT
Written by reader, on 13-09-2008 02:28
ctyankee... the 'Taste of the Town' event has been advertised to the MotorCoach folks as one of the 'events' taking place for THEM and it is listed on the Rally site now as being 'SOLD OUT'.
See all the other things they have been promised at the Rally website...
http://www.sca-fmca.com/rally.htm
They have even been promised 'Free Trolley Access' the entire time but no mention of the fact that the frickin' Trolley's won't even be running on Saturday ( busiest day of the Rally ) because of the Big Dam Bike Race. They have to tape over all the rail tracks downtown so the bikers don't kill themselves.
The poor Rally registrants DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS ( yet ).
I'm not even sure the Bike Race people are fully aware of what's going on here. They might be in shock themselves come that Saturday ( and pissed ).
Also... if you look at actual pictures from previous 'Six-State Rallys' you will see that MOST of the huge MotorCoaches that are coming will all be pulling their own CAR(S) as well.
These are mostly elderly folks and the moment they are parked they fire up the CAR and then use it the whole time to get around. Where are all those exta cars going to be parking for FIVE DAYS?
It's really going to be an absolute mess... brought to you by Admiral P. Hays when he flew to that FMCA Rally last year aboard that private lear jet and made all the promises without ( apparently ) consulting with anyone. |
Go Team, Go!
Written by Chauncy Gardener, on 13-09-2008 09:34
I suppose this dialog is like watching television coverage of the hurricane, eagerly awaiting the images of heart- wrenching human misery, total destruction, and preparing to celebrate the occasion. God forbid the R.V. rally should be a success. I can't imagine the disappointment.
Before this conversation I was extremely uninterested in the R.V. rally. Now, seeing the potential to advance economic development in Argenta, and thereby improvements in quality of life here, I would be happy to go to work shilling for the city during this event. I am up for the challenge. I will not waver in my support. What other course is there? WE NEED THE MONEY! |
Fingers crossed...
Written by reader, on 13-09-2008 14:23
As I said above, I HOPE that I am totally mistaken and that this whole thing has had a LOT of good thought and planning put into by competent people... but it's not looking too good right now.
As for CASH INFUSION, go look at the Rally website. Except for the 'Taste of the Town' event at Alltel arena ( include in the Rally registration fee ) and the 'Free Breakfast Buffer' ( also included ) and a bunch of 'Free' concerts at Dickey-Stephens each night of the Rally ( The performers are no one anyone has ever heard of ) the other 'planned events' for the Rally participants are all ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.
They are just going to use NLR streets and Parks as one gigantic PARKING LOT and it's doubtful NLR or Argenta is going to see the insides of their wallets at all.
When you consider the huge effort that is going to made on the part of NLR City and Park officials ( Paid overtime for this? ) and the absolute mess/damage it's going to cause to the Riverfront area... and the probably wasted thousands and thousands of dollars already spent for the stupid RV park over by I-30... I will bet this entire thing will end up
COSTING the NLR taxpayers a bundle. It's a fiasco.
I wonder if the actual accounting will ever appear for this and if the taxpayers will ever know how much all of this really cost... cleanup and repairs included.
It's a matter of SCALE.
A test-flight with a smaller MotorCoach Rally might have been the way to go first just to see if these folks really do bring any CASH to the streets.
Fingers crossed.
The countdown has begun.
I hope we don't hear "Houston... we have a problem" over anyone's radio but I have a bad feeling about all of it. |
Well Then
Written by Chauncy Gardener, on 13-09-2008 18:27
We, the people, of North Little Rock should imagine ways to capture a larger share of revenue for events of this nature, i.e. do a better job. I've heard it said that money is shy and needs to be attracted. |
The heart of the problem
Written by Paul J, on 13-09-2008 22:56
What bothers me about the whole RV thing is that there has been no dialogue with the public, and apparently no concern on the part of public officials as to whether the people of NLR want an RV park on the river. It started out as a small operation in a less than desirable location (no public input). It's grown to cover the entire length of the riverfront, including the grassy promenade (no public input). Remember the uproar when the park was damaged by Riverfest? Now, they're going to park hundreds (or is it dozens?) of RVs there. Maybe the plan is stellar and maybe the pay-off will be great, but a lot of NLR residents are concerned.
Why can't city officials COMMUNICATE with the taxpayers about their plans? Are we nuts to think someone should have asked us if we wanted an RV park on the river? Are we nuts to care about preserving the park lawn? Are we out of line to ask about costs, revenues and logistics?
City officials and Chamber of Commerce reps ought to hold a public meeting to explain their plan for logistics, expenses, and long-range opportunties/liabilities when it comes to RVs. Ignoring NLR citizens, while spending our money and clogging up our riverfront (possibly ruining the park), is inappropriate and RUDE.
I'll say again, maybe the plan is fantastic. I'd just like more information, and I'd like to be included in the development of plans and visions for the riverfront. |
Change things
Written by Big dog daddy, on 14-09-2008 12:30
You'll all have a chance to change things come November. |
From day one...
Written by reader, on 14-09-2008 16:16
Paul J. - Totally agree with you. FYI: The event has NOT 'grown' from a 'small RV Park' to over 1,000 Motor Coaches arriving for the annual FMCA Six-State Rally. That was the ORIGINAL plan all along and the promises that began with P. Hays being flown aboard a private Lear Jet to one of FMCA's (larger) regional gatherings last year. The tiny little RV park was just the part of the promises made which ensures that the grand-muck-e-mucks of the FMCA would be 'comfortable' while they are here. It also fulfills FMCA promises to 'volunteer' chapters that if they come and volunteer to work a gathering ( parking duties, organizational work, other volunteering ) that they are guaranteed 'Full Service Hookups'. This was NEVER MENTIONED when P. Hays put forth the ( stupid ) idea in the first place. He was HIDING the real reason(s) from the taxpayers of North Little Rock. He simply presented it as a 'good idea for North Little Rock' without even admitting that he had ALREADY promised it to the FMCA for their Rally and had already committed to it.
He just bullshitted everyone to get it started since time was a'wastin and the FMCA Rally deadline was already fixed in stone. He shoved it through with lies and never admitted what the real agenda was.
The FMCA, in turn, has turned around and bullshitted all their members by promising ALL registrants 'Full Service Hookups' when they knew damn well that there were only going to be about 80 'Full Service' parking spots for the muck-e-mucks of FMCA themselves.
The people of NLR have been played for fools over this and so have the poor FMCA members. This was just a deal worked out in secret between P. Hays and the FMCA muck-e-mucks and they have both proceeded to lie about it just to make it happen.
A fine way to run an economic development program. It's abuse of power and a classic the "I know what's best for everyone without having to talk to anyone" attitude on the part of elected officials.
I think evey single cost over-run for this thing should come straight out of P. Hays' personal bank account.
If he wants to make decisions without going through proper channels then he should have to pay for it himself instead of treating the taxpayer dollars of NLR as his own personal lending agency.
November approaches.
Express your opinion with your vote(s). |
RV Communication Lacking
Written by scottmiller, on 15-09-2008 09:01
I agree with you Paul. Communication has been lacking. As President of the neighborhood association, Main Street business owner and member of the NLR Chamber, the only notices we have received are the standard press releases and requests for volunteers. One would think the organizers would want to coordinate with the downtown businesses and people who live downtown to make this as pleasant event event as possible for the RV'ers and to make sure they have the support of downtown for future events. This will be a massive event and here's hoping the coordination goes better with the RV'ers than it has with the locals |
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Comments (29)
