Looks like Pride will not be at the Seattle Center this year. I am really disappointed in the Pride organizers Seattle Out and Proud. I have a hard time understanding why they have to be the face of Seattle Pride. I don't remember voting them in to represent me and my friends. Can someone please explain to me how it is they came to control Pride?
Anyone remember who did the smaller pride last year?
Here is the Press Release from Seattle Out and Proud
Seattle – In 2006, the Seattle Pride March and Festival moved from Capitol Hill to Downtown Seattle and the Seattle Center. Event attendees, organizers and city officials all hailed the events as great successes. Unfortunately, the increased scale of both the March and Festival produced poor financial results including the well publicized and still unpaid debts. Simply put, the income from both events was not adequate to cover the costs of the March and Festival.
In 2007 Pride organizers Seattle Out and Proud (SOaP) voted in new leadership. SOaP’s primary concern was to produce a financially sound March and Festival in 2007. In order to accomplish that end, Seattle Center encouraged SOaP’s new Board of Directors to bring in professional event management. After meeting with several event management companies, SOaP decided to explore partnering with the professional event producers IES. SOaP also hired Baccetti Inc. to solicit and manage corporate sponsorship opportunities.
This week, after a month and half of additional intense research and negotiation by IES, the new SOaP Board of Directors and the Seattle Center, it has been concluded by all that producing a similarly scaled Pride Event at Seattle Center is not financially prudent. While most people believe that the 2006 March and Festival in Downtown Seattle showcased the LGBT Community extremely well, a fiscally responsible 2007 March and Festival, no matter their physical location, is the most important goal. As such, new discussions are taking place about where both the march and festival make the most sense this year.
We appreciate the work of John Merner and Robert Nellams at the Seattle Center during this transitional time, as well as the guidance of IES and Baccetti Inc., both of whom will continue to advise SOaP in this process. Details of the event modifications are expected early next week. One thing is certain; there will be a great and financially responsible Seattle Pride this year.
For questions on anything press related please contact Eric Albert-Gauthier at ealbert-gauthier@seattlepride.org
1 comment:
The people who did the smaller CapHill parade last year have quietly been planning for something again this year. Once the implosion of SOAP became obvious, those folks announced today that they will plan to do something without SOAP.
And how did SOAP come to "own" "Seattle Pride"? Well, that's too complex to answer in a comment, but here's a gross summary:
The former organizers of the parade and festival (FDC) slowly burned out on their process-heavy planning regime. Newcomers who had a different vision came in with more energy and gained seats on the FDC board. They quietly negotiated with Seattle Center as a festival venue and announced the change. This caused internal dissention and forced the remaining FDC sorts off of the board. The newcomers then disbanded the former organization and set themselves up as SOAP, keeping the "Seattle Pride" name and website.
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