DRRA REGATTA REVIEW #1
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CHRYSLER JEEP SUPERSTORES APBA GOLD CUP
Race: August 22-24, 2003

DRRA Regatta Review #1, Friday August 1

*** FIRST UP - VOLUNTEER MEETING ANNOUNCED FOR THIS TUESDAY!!!

ATTENTION! - THE CITY OF DETROIT WILL HOST OUR VOLUNTEER MEETING ON AUGUST 5TH IN COBO HALL. JOIN US AT 6:30PM IN THE RIVERFRONT BALLROOM (W151).

*** A LETTER FROM THE DRRA PRESIDENT, TOM D'EATH

DATE: July 31, 2003
TO: All 2003 Gold Cup Stakeholders
FROM: Tom D'Eath, DRRA President
SUBJECT: 2003 Jeep Superstores APBA Gold Cup

I am writing to give you a status report on the planning for the 2003 Gold Cup, now confirmed for August 22-24, 2003 in Detroit. A lot has happened in the few weeks since I agreed to act as promoter for the event. In that time I've heard all kinds of rumors about what is and isn't happening, so I thought it best that you hear directly from me what's going on. Here are some of our major milestones to date:

* We've formed a Michigan not-for-profit corporation called the Detroit River Regatta Association (DRRA). We are applying for 501 (c) 3 status with the IRS and have no reason to believe our request would be denied. We're setting up our bylaws and directors to manage the organization with an entirely new all- volunteer team of board members. DRRA will be a membership- based organization whose mission is to educate the public and to promote the history and sport of powerboat racing and to preserve the local history and culture of powerboat racing.

* Attention All Volunteers - The City of Detroit will host our Volunteers Meeting on August 5th in Cobo Hall. Join us at 6:30PM in the Riverfront Ballroom (W151)!

* We've scheduled a three-day event beginning Friday, August 22. There are no activities confirmed for Thursday. The program will include the Gold Cup race, vintage fly-bys, a sweepstakes/ free-for-all race for any racing hulls between 17 and 27 feet, jersey speed skiffs and extreme water sports exhibitions.

* We've negotiated with Chrysler to come on board as title sponsor. Budweiser has secured a secondary sponsorship position.

* We've worked hard to trim all non-critical expenses from our budget. Our short-term goal is to achieve financial "break even" on a bare-bones event for 2003. To that end, we will consolidate all race operations to the Horace Dodge Pit Area, foregoing any activities on Belle Isle. Removing the Pit Bleachers near the Roostertail Restaurant will provide the space we need to operate all activities from the single Dodge Pit location.

* We have agreed to pay Hydro-prop the full amount for a Gold Cup race and are budgeting responsibly to assure that the race teams are not asked to sacrifice their funding to make the event possible. We have not yet secured sufficient revenues to pay for all budgeted costs, but we continue our efforts to raise the necessary funds. With the short notice, it's difficult to convince new sponsors to come on board for 2003 so we are looking to a closer group of friends, fans and long-time supporters of the sport to help us meet our financial goals.

* We've reduced general admission ticket prices by 50% to encourage attendance. Because of the change in date and the lack of advance notice for ticket sales, we are budgeting for attendance of a third or less as compared to prior years. Ticket Master is now selling tickets for the event (www.ticketmaster.com).

* Prices for reserved seats are the same or reduced from what they were in 2002. We are focusing our sales efforts on corporations and groups that purchased blocks of seats in the past. Call us at 586.774.APBA / 586.774.2722 to purchase last year's seats.

* The official program will be produced under a special arrangement that provides advertising sales support and satisfies all of our printing needs for the event.

Many friends and fans have asked me if they can help make the Gold Cup a success. My answer is an emphatic "Yes!" We need help getting volunteers organized under an entirely new structure. Fiscal responsibility and safety of the event are our top priorities. We also need everybody's cooperation and support in our fundraising efforts. If you want the 2003 Gold Cup to be a success, please become a member of the Detroit River Regatta Association.

I'm hoping to be able to keep you informed about our progress over the next few weeks with regular messages like this one.

Best Regards,

Thomas D'Eath
President
Detroit River Racing Association

*** ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER

You have received this newsletter because you are a current subscriber to the Signal Flag Online newsletter which may now be retired. Since this newsletter is for the same purpose, direct news from the Gold Cup organizers, I expect that you wish to remain on the list. Your email address has not been distributed and remains safe with me. There is no need to reply if you wish to continue to receive newsletters.

Those that wish to subscribe or unsubscribe may send directly to me via this address.

If anyone has a good idea for a name for this newsletter, let me know. A name that's 13 characters or less would be best, but if it's really good, up to 18 may be OK. There could be a Gold Cup souvenir in it for you!

- Brian Reed
- Detroit River Regatta Association

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