Kill This Money Waster Already
- The rain-shortened Taste of Chicago lost $169,404 this year, the city announced Friday.
The food festival had to be closed on its only scheduled Saturday in July due to heavy rains and standing water, and just 1.1 million people walked through the gates during its other four days, according to the city Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. That's down from 1.5 million attendees in 2013, when Taste turned a $272,000 profit, and 1.2 million visitors in 2012, when it lost $1.3 million.
Since taking office, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has tried to guide the city's big summer food festival toward profitability in large part by shrinking it while increasing revenue.
The city raised the surcharge it collected for every strip of 12 food tickets at this year's festival by 50 cents, from $2 to $2.50. And the mayor pushed through an ordinance to charge $50 for "premium seats" to Taste concerts, up from $25 the year before. Until Emanuel took office, all Taste concert seats were free.
And while they're at it, they ought to cancel the "Chicago Fizzle" fest, too.
Labels: money questions
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
30 Comments:
Only ones making money are the connected political thieves.
The Taste of Chicago is a Taste that has come and gone....time to end it and don't insult Chicago's intelligence....spend the money in a better way...drop the Chicago Fire Fest. Pretty darn stupid...
If you move it to the boonies, it eliminates the riff-raff. Ask the folks that did the Taste of MN.
Anybody know what kind of settlement the City had to pay the vendor who got zapped in the park that Saturday morning when they closed it down?
How many are out of towners?
Rham could fuck up a one car funeral.
I haven't gone since Harold was Mayor.
I usually go to Naperville Rib Fest if I go anywhere. Now there is a well run operation. First off it costs $15 per adult just to get in and that includes Zero food coupons. It does include free parking and shuttle bus service from the train stations and outlying parking lots.
Best thing, very few shitheads and the entire Naperville Police plus auxiliary and everybody that wears a uniform in Naperville works the event. Plenty of police everywhere.
Did I say no shitheads? And no free admission tickets from the rev'runds or shithead city council members.
Plus almost no shitheads. What a relief.
How about cancelling ridiculous parking fees?
Stayed overnight at the Chicago Hilton (on Michigan Ave) and paid $67 for 24 hours - and 15 minutes. Should have been $52 but because of the extra 15 minutes another $15 was added onto the bill.
Now most of you don't go downtown to park - and while in the squad car you're attitude is, you "park for free" so you may not relate to this observation, but for the"average" person going downtown to an event or staying overnight -$67 is OUTRAGEOUS.
Unless I ultimately have to, I won't be going into Chicago for anything - restaurants, museums, stores.
Why? Parking is too F'ing high. Plus the 10% sales tax just seems too high as well.
And now they want to raise METRA by 68%? Better start lopping off some of the Bureaucratic fat in all these government agencies. Consolidate METRA, the CTA, PACE, and the RTA into one organization. Get rid of three boards and three Chairmen. While you're at it. lop off 25 Aldermen out of the City Council along with their personal ward budgets.
Money Wasters in Illinois? We have a LOT to choose from.
Why not empty the shithead's link card every time they act like animals at the taste. They would make millions.
Charge admission. Bad boys go elsewhere.
Now, kees me you fool!!!!
Its become "Ghetto Fest" a place where one can enjoy the inter-city games known as "Wilding"
Mayor should travel to Milwaukkee. Copy their Summerfest.
It would have been smarter to charge an entrance fee, just like what is charged all over the Northside Neighborhood festivals these days!
It helps make money and keep the riff raff out and away!
City Hall people are too stupid to figure that out!
Milwaukee Summer Fest is way better than Chicago!
No DemocRATic shitheads allowed!
If it was better run, it would be a huge money maker. However, that would require a paid admission, no free shit, and we all know that wouldn't fly with the revs and JJ.
The Napperville ribfest was great!
Nice portions reasonable parking rates and plenty of room to eat on the grass.
I felt safe with my family.
The only times I have been to the Taste is when I have had to work it. Due to the large amount of riff-raff, I highly encourage my friends and relatives to stay away.
It was well run and well controlled when first initiated at Navy Pier. Move the venue or drop the event.
The 80's are gone, over; shave the facial hair and move on. And never forget the reality: the "Taste" was modeled after Milwaukee Fest, where they CHARGE ADMISSION. Milwaukee does that for a reason, and the reason is to keep out the shit. Many of you are too young to remember, but in the beginning Mayor Byrne charged to get into the Taste. Every cop and firefighter got two free tickets. Jesse Jackson picketed and said the entrance fee was "Racist", so they took away the admission fee, and the Festival declined in desirability. Also note that years ago when we had full strength on the police department we could force officers to work the festival. That manpower surplus is gone and will never come back. Taste is history, move on, cut our losses. "G"
It's for the children
So, the 2 hour fire fest lost more money than the taste?
Wow, now that is some serious fuzzy math
Anybody know what kind of settlement the City had to pay the vendor who got zapped in the park that Saturday morning when they closed it down?
10/18/2014 12:34:00 AM
Hopefully it was nothing. Any 10 year old should know not to mix electricity and water.
If you move it to the boonies, it eliminates the riff-raff. Ask the folks that did the Taste of MN.
Yeah, some legit town like Rosemont...
https://screen.yahoo.com/videos-for-you/obey-law-bankrupt-city-041400714.html
Camera's are costing the city money.
"red light cameras are not effective in improving safty"
Back in the day it was interesting to some people - I know that I never went because it always seemed to be and overpriced rip off, filled with throngs of people, and was a pickpocket's paradise.
Add in parking, driving, etc... and it wasn't real attractive.
That was back in the 70's. Look at things now: Everything is more expensive, traffic is heavier, gas is ridiculously costly - and the advantage of the Taste is what exactly?
Kill it. Let it live on in someone's memory. Move along... move along...
Anonymous Anonymous said...
If you move it to the boonies, it eliminates the riff-raff. Ask the folks that did the Taste of MN.
Yeah, some legit town like Rosemont...
10/18/2014 11:17:00 AM
Rosemont legit? Sarcasm and silliness for sure.
The 80's are gone....
10/18/2014 08:55:00 AM
No shit. Used to have some great times at the 4th of July fireworks or taking the family to Venetian Night. All ruined and never coming back. I wonder what happened?
What the papers need to do is tell you what the increases REALLY are....
$2.00 to $2.50 is a 25% increase, and $25 to $50 is a 100% ncrease.
As opposed to our coverage on our new contract raise, which they tell you will cost the city 65 million for back pay right away, but rarely mention the raise is only 2% / year.
Spin, Spin, Spin!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Rham could fuck up a one car funeral.
10/18/2014 01:20:00 AM
Easy enough to do that - between the red light cameras, speed trap cameras, potholes and bike lanes.
"The 80's are gone, over; shave the facial hair and move on."
NEVER! The Mullet & the Fu Manchu Moustache stay indefinitely!
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