Promoting Portsmouth - Now is the Time
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An Open Letter to the Portsmouth Business/Arts community
A summer of major sailing events is in store for Newport in 2012:
- Atlantic Cup, May 20 - 27
- Newport to Bermuda Race, June 15
- America's Cup World Series, June 23 - July 1
- Ocean State Tall Ships Festival, July 6-9
The events above will draw thousands of tourists to Aquidneck Island. What can or should we be doing in Portsmouth to get some economic or promotional advantage from these Newport sailing events? While our marine trades industry in Melville is well placed to provide marine related services to the competitors, what else can be done?
How about an outdoor concert at the Glen or Sandy Point Beach? How about a “Dine in Portsmouth” promotion during the summer period, with participating Portsmouth restaurants partnering with Portsmouth vineyards and/or the Portsmouth Arts Guild to showcase Portsmouth cuisine and artists? I also still like the idea of a “Taste of Island Park” dining stroll weekend. Tourists have to eat somewhere – why not in Portsmouth?
We have some beautiful places to conduct musical or other sports or artistic events – The Glen Farm and Fields, Island Park and Sandy Point beaches, Heritage Park, Fort Butts, the Bristol Ferry Town Common, among others – could all be used to host visitors to Portsmouth for large or small events. How about an art show at the Bristol Ferry Town Common, for example?
I am not in business nor do I have any financial interest in promoting this, but I do have pride in Portsmouth and hate to see a good, potentially revenue generating opportunity for our town and the business and arts community go to waste for want of trying. Time is getting short, but surely someone out there among all of our Committees and Associations can do something about this economic opportunity?
What kind of events would you like to see held in Portsmouth?
In This Blog Post
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Sandy Point Beach
Sandy Point Ave & Sigourney Rd, Portsmouth, RI -
Portsmouth Art Guild
2679 E Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI -
Glen Farm
Linden Ln & E Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI
Susan Gordon
5:40 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Well done Doug! All your ideas sound great. Would certainly help this sleepy taxed community.
Mark Nimiroski
7:35 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Great idea Doug!
J. Lane McMahon
11:56 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Nice creative thinking Doug!
Gary Gump
10:37 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Let's hope the PBA and other Portsmouth supporters are already on this and if not that your excellent article will provide the catalyst needed to reap some economic benefit and increased awareness of all that Portsmouth has to offer.
Rhonda Gilbert
11:09 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Great civic thinking!
Portsman
1:12 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012
Good thinking! Nothing like finding new creative ways to bring new revenue to the city.
East side
7:17 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012
PEDC - ANOTHER FAIL EXAMPLE - i'm confused why Bill self promotes his ideas instead of these ideas coming from the PEDC. J. Lane gives applause to Bill's ideas and he is on the committee. Shouldn't he know, be part of the this communication, and ultimately be part of the team? This begs the question, what about the other people on the PEDC, we never here from them individually. Another example of how these so called improvement committees don't work as a team and are useless.
J. Lane McMahon
11:57 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012
East side,
Here's an idea. And it comes from me, not the PEDC. Get off your behind and do something. Instead of complaining about everything why not join a committee and actually DO something to help.
You are a perfect example of what is wrong with this town.
Doug has mentioned this serveral times in several different forums. And I believe his message here was an attempt to get residents and business owners onboard with the idea.
East side
12:50 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
J. Lane - no thank you. The PEDC as it stands today is a complete disgrace. Your on it for example.
Connie Ryan Alesse
10:34 am on Saturday, March 24, 2012
First, someone has to take ownership of the issue. Any volunteers?
Then, that person can follow through on ideas with promise.
Suggestions:
Contact the leaders of local yacht clubs, sailing clubs, marinas, etc., where actual sailers hang out and ask their thoughts on what would entice sailers to take a run up the coast. It's not going to be easy to lure anyone away from Newport, but if your not a sailer, you don't know what motivates them. The yacht clubs might have a better idea.
Doug Smith
8:43 am on Saturday, March 31, 2012
Great comments Connie and you have identified the key problem - who is going to step up and do some of these things? I would think that Portsmouth businesses would be interested in taking this on - where is the Portsmouth Business Association on this issue? I also think that the larger market will be the tourists who come to the island to see the races rather than the sailors themselves. What we need is an enthusiastic promoter to pull these ideas together in a hurry, as time is running out.
Priscilla Smyth Thayer
10:02 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
Great ideas. I filled out the survey and one is able to make suggestions there. A thought is a meet and greet of crews/teams for each event (possibly at Melville Pub? 15 Point Rd?) and to coordinate with RI Economic Development Corporation and The Newport Chamber of Commerce on these events. We need to show the world what a great place Portsmouth is to live, work and play.
Doug Smith
9:03 am on Saturday, March 31, 2012
Priscilla, I like your idea of a "meet and greet" to bring together everyone involved in any Portsmouth event, but we first need someone or some group to step up and actually propose or organize an event - any event. On my personal favorite idea - a "Taste of Island Park" - why aren't any of the Island Park restaurant/bar owners interested in working on this? Perhaps if one of them were to invite the others to an organizational "meet and greet" to discuss this idea, it would get things started?