Wildwood Business Leaders Speak Out about Loss of Barbecue Bash

This weekend's about the region's largest barbecue competition, St. Louis Home Fires Barbecue Bash, now not being hosted in Wildwood for its intended third year rippled throughout the local business community. 

Many owners and managers express that they see events, such as the Bash, as vital to increasing Wildwood business.  Some even immediately spoke about how unfortunate it will be to not have guests filling and experiencing the pleasantries of the the weekend of the Bash.

Holly Ferris, membership director for the Wildwood Business Association and Wildwood resident, spoke on behalf the members of the :  "We are disappointed with the outcome of the debate between a few city council members and Mr. Schmer, organizer of the Barbecue Bash, resulting in the cancellation of the Barbecue Bash being held in Wildwood this fall."

Ferris said many WBA members have their busiest sales during the weekend the Bash is held.  "This is a community event that attracts people from all over the St. Louis region, and the amount of exposure this event gives to the businesses in Wildwood is one of the largest of its kind," she said.

"In today’s economy, we need these private and city partnerships to succeed for our business community to grow. With 30,000 to 35,000 people attending the event, it seems worth the $25,000 that the city of Wildwood had committed."

Additionally, last year, Wildwood's farmers' market vendors were encouraged and allowed to set up in a special spot at the entry of the Bash, and many reported having their highest sales of the season that weekend.

Terri Rolwes, Wildwood resident and owner of WoW Customer Experience Group, LLC, said she is preparing to make a special Valentine's Day appearance at the Wildwood council meeting Monday because she loves her community.

"How can we let go the largest event in this community?  We need to work with Frank (Schmer) to keep the Barbecue Bash here, and to think of ways to encourage more large events that bring people here who want to shop, eat and do business and experience the WoW of Wildwood!" said Rolwes.

Rolwes, who travels for her business, said, "I don’t even have a store front in Wildwood, and quite frankly a business that counts on Wildwood for my business, but I love this community and we are thought of by the metro St. Louis area as a 'premier' place to live.  Premier places to live, that are thriving under the same concept, allow and welcome commerce.  In this 'tough economy' you don’t thumb your nose at the businesses that put their necks on the line and have held out over that last three to four years for the one event that brings business to our community."

Rolwes said, "If we want to be a community, then let's be one.  We need commerce for viability."

However not all Wildwood-based business managers would say the Bash comes without headaches with which to deal that weekend.  Jim Gerst, director of the Dierbergs in Town Center, each year has expressed concerns about Bash attendees taking over the store's parking lot, rendering it hard or impossible for customers not attending the event to find a place to park.  Last year for the Bash weekend, Gerst said he hired a private security guard to try to monitor the lot, but that proved a bit daunting.

Other business owners in Wildwood Town Center also say ample parking is a legitimate challenge, which is why city officials last year established a bus pickup system from several locations outside of the Town Center, such as the parking lot and the parking lot. 

All in all, the Barbecue Bash still has been a raging success from an economic development perspective, said Wildwood council member David Sewell (Ward 6).  "It provides visibility to Wildwood and Wildwood's businesses at a regional level that no other event in Wildwood has done," he said.

"Unfortunately this issue has gotten off track.  The concerns surrounding the Bash started in 2009 when the city's Barbecue Bash budget was overrun by 11 times.  And in year two, there was an overrun as well.  So from a financial management perspective, the city could do a much better job of managing the budget for the Barbecue Bash.  That's the real issue," said Sewell. 

Sewell references the fact that city council members in 2009 budgeted $3,500 for the municipalty's contribution to the Bash; however the final cost to the city came in closer to $46,000.  Severe weather conditions caused last-minute costs, such as straw and additional electrical wiring, to be required.  However, it was identified in subsequent council meetings post-Bash, a number of items, such as the cost of generators, grounds cleanup and transportation, had been grossly underestimated.

City staffers then took steps to tighten up the roles and responsibilities of the 2010 event, as reported by Joe Vujnich, Wildwood's director of planning and parks at the Jan. 11, 2010, city council meeting.  At that point, the city of Wildwood was expected to handle electrical contractors, toilets and sinks, contracting, overtime of city employees and the trash collection.  Bash organizer Frank Schmer was expected to handle the shuttle service, electric generators, sound system, overnight police security, and bands and entertainment.

Vujnich said roles' assignments were premised on certain requirements related to the city's lease with Koman Properties, which owns the Town Center property. 

Sewell said council members were working aggressively to secure the Barbecue Bash and ensure that it could be done without any cost overruns to the city for the Sept. 24-25, 2011, event. 

"The majority of the council sees this as a positive event that promotes the city in a manner that no other event has done to date.  Personally, I hope Mr. Schmer will reconsider his decision, and can overlook some of the rancor created by a very vocal minority of the council," said Sewell.