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Paso Moved
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4wardlook
Posted 2007-09-02 12:52 AM (#95219)
Subject: Paso Moved



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Posts: 268
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Location: CALIFORNIA NO RUST
August 30, 2008
Dear Friends:
It is with a mixture of joy and sadness that I write this letter to all of you that have supported our West Coast Kustoms Memorial Day car show in Paso Robles for all these years.
I and my staff have been receiving countless emails, phone calls and letters regarding the future of our car show. The ones that talk about Rich and his dream have really touched my heart. But it is now time to set the record straight. The City of Paso Robles and West Coast Kustoms have parted company, we agree to disagree.
Our car show has outgrown the city park. The City, especially the police department, had realistic and valid concerns regarding the safety and well being of their town in the event of an emergency during our show. The City also had serious concerns regarding the "element" that follows an event of this kind. They experienced higher than normal incidents of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct resulting in their wanting us to share in large part the financial ramifications from this. Something that was financially impossible. Due to the bicycle event that runs concurrently with our car show, moving to the fairgrounds was not an option.
We have and still do love the ambience of Paso Robles. We are very unhappy that this has upset the local merchants. We feel they are the real losers in all of this. As I know from personal experience, being self employed is not always easy and a decision like this will deliver a serious blow to the local economy. This will have far reaching consequences as our show directly or indirectly helped to support many business and organizations in the community.
But this is not the end of our Memorial Day "West Coast Cruisin Nationals". We have had several meetings with the city of Santa Maria and I can officially announce that this is where we are moving. The dates for next year’s show are May 24-25, 2008. I feel that this is a very positive move for us.
Again, thank you for all your love, care and concern.
Penny Pichette
West Coast Kustoms


By Leah Etling

The West Coast Kustoms Cruisin’ Nationals car show, which has been an annual event in Paso Robles for nearly three decades, will not come back to the city in 2008, organizers said this week.

The decision to move the show to Santa Maria on Memorial Day weekend came after the city requested that the organizers pay $35,000 for policing of the show and cut the number of vehicles involved from 800 to 500.

Police Chief Lisa Solomon said the city asked for the funds to help control crowds, gang problems and violent crimes—all of which were issues during last year’s event.

“It was just a ridiculous weekend,” Solomon said. An estimated 27,000 people came to town for the three-day event.

Solomon said her department responded to 153 calls related to the show. Officers responded to five assaults with deadly weapons, including a gang-related shooting. Police also responded to fights, domestic violence, and numerous alcohol consumption violations. In 2006, there were 119 police calls.

Some local business owners, upset about the show’s departure, plan to attend Tuesday night’s City Council meeting to complain.

A replacement event to fill the void is a possibility, but no decision has been made. Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce president Mike Gibson said talk of a new magnet event for Memorial Day weekend is just rumor.

Security concerns

Paso Robles police had a tougher time dealing with calls during the three-day car show than during the 12-day California Mid-State Fair, Solomon said. With more than 360,000 people attending the fair this year, there were more people in town on any day of the fair than during the car show.

In response to last year’s car show problems, the city developed ways to better control event-related incidents, such as the $35,000 fee. They invited Kustoms Cruisin’ organizers to come up with ideas to reduce crime so the event could stay.

In a letter to her supporters, show founder Penny Pichette called the city’s concerns “realistic and valid” but said she could not afford to pay for additional policing.

“I don’t make $35,000, and then they want me to cut down to 500 cars,” she said.

Next year’s event will be held at the Santa Maria Fair-park, which can accommodate more cars. Space restraints in Paso Robles limited the show to 800 entrants.

Councilman Gary Nemeth said that the city spent about $47,000 to host the show. The fee paid by the car club was $1,500.

“It was their choice,” Nemeth said of the club’s decision to go elsewhere. “The city was willing to dialogue with them.”

Pichette said Santa Maria made no demands on her.

“I just feel so sad, but there’s no turning back,” she said.

Long history

The show was first held at Nacimiento Lake in 1982. Pichette and her late husband, Rich, were inspired by a drive along the route traveled by James Dean the day he died, during which they visited Paso Robles.

“When there was nothing in Paso, we were there. It was our town too. Even though we didn’t live there, we did business there, and had many friends there,” Pichette said. She is concerned about what impact the show’s move will have on local merchants.

During 26 annual events, the event grew from fewer than 100 cars to 800, with participants traveling from all over California and beyond.

“It has never been a huge show by today’s standards … but it has always drawn great cars and the hobby’s most significant personalities,” wrote Damon Lee in a Custom Rod-der magazine article about the show’s 25th anniversary.

The weekend-long event included activities such as a dance, bowling, church services and meals as well as street cruising and awards.

Within 24 hours of the news of the show’s move to Santa Maria being posted on the Web site www.jalopyjournal.com, hundreds of past participants weighed in on the move. Some were supportive, others indignant. A few speculated that the burgeoning wine industry in Paso Robles is motivating the city to focus on a different sort of clientele.

“I’m not surprised. Paso wants to be the next Napa Valley with all its wineries. I’m sure there (is) plenty of wine tourist money coming into the city,” wrote Bobby Green.

About 6,000 people bought tickets for the Paso Robles Wine Festival in May.

Chamber president Gibson wrote in an e-mail to the city that his organization supported keeping the show in town with changes, including fewer cars and payment for policing.

“Most of the businesses I talked with during the two days expressed better-than-average sales days with very few problems,” Gibson wrote.

Business owners upset

Local business owners who say the car show was one of their busiest weekends of the year are outraged that the event has been moved south.

Michael Garrotto, owner of Great American Antiques, said the change could cost him up to $12,000 in business that he typically does during the car show weekend.

Tim Thomason, who owns Timmy T’s Pizza, threatened to bill the city $14,000 for the revenue he estimates he’ll lose without hundreds of car enthusiasts and spectators in town that weekend.

“I think that a good portion of the businesses downtown don’t really have too many opportunities to sell their products to a large number of people. For me, that’s our largest weekend,” Thomason said.

Thomason said he never had any problem with unruly car show attendees.

The possibility that another organized event might come to the city that weekend was small solace to Thomason, who has owned the pizza shop for three years. He has personal relationships with many of the exhibitors, he said, who are loyal to the local businesses.

At some hotels, guests exceeded room capacity and damaged property during the event, but overall, Gibson said, most hoteliers are disappointed to see the event go.

Kate Davis, co-owner of Alliance Boardshop, said the event was popular with tourists as well as locals, including her own family.

Davis teared up while recounting memories shared with her father and her two sons at the car show. She added that the weekend is one of the year’s busiest for her business as well as a major fundraising opportunity for clubs and youth groups that sell food to the crowds.

“That’s our favorite family weekend. I don’t want to go to Santa Maria,” she said.
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5.0 chero
Posted 2008-05-25 11:05 AM (#131485 - in reply to #95219)
Subject: RE: Paso Moved


New User

Posts: 1

Went to show yesterday Should have been called Goodguys Cruising' Nationals..............Gone is the open a day in the park feel. got to town at about AM found fairgrounds spent about 20 min in line waiting to park $5 spent another 45 min in line waiting to get through gate another $24 for 2 people to get in. Only 2 ticket booths open WTF?. Any way my feelings are that This once great show has been ruined and turned into another Goodguys commercial event! have been to I have missed this show once in the last 20 years sorry to say I will not be returning its not worth the 3 hour drive. If I want a Goodguys event I will go to Pleasanton as its only an hour away.
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4wardlook
Posted 2008-05-28 9:17 AM (#131898 - in reply to #95219)
Subject: RE: Paso Moved



Veteran

Posts: 268
1001002525
Location: CALIFORNIA NO RUST
thanks for the update, thats to bad this was a great show i went for the past 17 years i didnt get to go this year but i am glad i didnt because you are not alone w/ opinion this is all i have heard this week i to would have been upset
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60olds98
Posted 2008-07-10 1:31 PM (#137077 - in reply to #95219)
Subject: RE: Paso Moved


New User

Posts: 1

I have been going to Paso for about 10 years and considered it the highlight of the year. Unfortunately, this year’s show in Santa Maria was a huge disappointment for me. Going the fairgrounds route makes it like all the other shows. What made Paso unique was the Friday night cruise and the open park on Saturday where you could see the cars for free. This year’s show was just like all the other shows where you pay big bucks to get permission to see the cars. I can go to Pomona or Bakersfield to get what I got in Santa Maria without the long drive.
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4wardlook
Posted 2008-07-21 11:54 PM (#138517 - in reply to #137077)
Subject: RE: Paso Moved



Veteran

Posts: 268
1001002525
Location: CALIFORNIA NO RUST
what a shame
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