Thanks for y'all's support, not just for the upcoming CB'12, but for all the years we've all enjoyed getting together at the greatest Chevelle show (and "family reunion") on earth! Like many have expressed here, there is a possibility that this could be the last Chevell-abration. I certainly hope not. One thing is for certain, however...it'll be the final one at Moss-Wright Park.
I'm sure we're all familiar with the old saying "Familiarity breeds contempt." Well, this will be our 15th year @ M-W Park, and each one gets successively more difficult to pull off with more bureaucratic hoops to jump through, increasing fees, more permits, an administrative staff that has grown over the years and now includes hinderers rather than facilitators, and a lack of appreciation for the economic impact we have on this small community. I could go on, but I think y'all get my drift.
Those of you who've discussed this situation with me know my frustrations over not being able to get a multi-year contract with a set year-to-year date. This inhibits long-term planning that has an impact on how we promote, market and sell the event. It also prevents many of y'all from making any real plans until I can announce a date for the event, and I can't do that because of a preference of scheduling that's given to a local softball tournament group. This same group has, after securing the date I seek (second weekend in June), canceled their tournament the last 3 out of 4 years because they couldn't get enough teams to fill the ladder. Consequently, we've been forced on most occasions, to take the dates they offer us. M-W Park is a busy one, with stuff going on virtually every weekend, so just finding an open date during the warm weather months can be quite problematic. So I have also been out beating the bushes to find another suitable location close to the middle Tennessee area to relocate the event.
There are a lot of other elements of promoting this event that also need addressing, but I can't go into all of them here, or this post would turn into a novella. Anyway, we're gonna give it another really good shot again this year, we're gonna have even more fun than ever before, and while it's my hopes that we can find a new home for Chevell-abration and overcome the challenges that are currently confronting us, right now, my focus remains on getting this one done and producing another high-quality, fun, family-oriented event that y'all have come to expect and deserve.
Please understand that this thread needs to remain on topic, and should NOT morph into a "Why don't you do this" discussion. I'm open to discussion, but if you have something to contribute, please do it on the ACES Hotline: 615.643.ACES (2237). I will not engage in, or respond to any of those kinds of comments that detract from this fun, informational thread. BTW Mark, I intended to thank you at the top of this post, but forgot... Old age, perhaps? Anyway, thanks again to Mark, and all who support ACES and Chevell-abration in any way shape or form. Y'all are the main ingredient that makes the event so special! Thanks too, TC, for the bandwidth and a place we can all come together to share the passion!