Today, the captain of our soccer team sent an email to our team members, managers and others in our community informing us that the ERSFNA has rendered its decision to award the 2012 North American Sports Festival to Minnesota, instead of our city, Denver. According to the email we received, our captain was told by ERSFNA chairman, that the decision was based on the sole factor of cost vs. revenue. Therefore, implying that Denver was not competitive when it came to this factor. However, the good chairman did encourage us to try again next year. I guess the chairman believes the costs will go down next year due to some unforeseen deflation in the economy, I mean, why else would he think next year would be a good year for us to apply again if he didn't think the numbers would be different.
What we, the Denver community, would like from the good chairman is a breakdown of the numbers between the costs and revenue of both cities. What was the difference between what it would cost the federation in Denver vs. Minnesota and the projected revenue for both cities. We would also like to know, if it isn't a bother for the chairman, what is the method the federation used to calculate the projected revenue.
It is a known fact that 1/3 of the executive committee members reside in the great state of Minneapolis. We would like to believe this had nothing to do with the decision making process, however, the explanation we have received thus far makes it difficult. If that were the case, the federation should pick one city that has the lowest operating cost and hold the sports festival there, every year!
It was such a great disappointment to learn Denver was rejected! We felt that we were a shoe-in. The reasons to award Denver the host city were many. Here are but a few :
-Colorado is centrally located relative to the whole United States - in which it can attract visitors from California to Washington DC to Georgia and the Mid West
-This would be the first time the city of Denver would host the festival (whereas Minnesota has already hosted twice)
-Denver has a growing, vibrant Eritrean community.
-Denver has very competitive soccer and youth basketball teams who express brotherly love for one another.
-Denver and the surrounding area have excellent facilities (beautiful manicured fields, gyms, halls, restaurants ect.) that can easily accommodate the festival
-Denver and the surrounding area have many attractions for visitors to experience and enjoy (Downtown Denver, The Rocky Mountains to name a couple)
-And let us not forget TEBOW-MANIA! - the city is still buzzing.
And so, we were not only disappointed, but also baffled at the strange decision the ERSFNA made to reject us! Hopefully the federation can provide a better explanation, or better yet, reverse their decision altogether.
Truly,
Denver Goalie, aka Portere.
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Received on Wed Feb 15 2012 - 23:18:06 EST
