| G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com
Category:
SPRINGFIELD – As of press time, Rock 102, which sponsors the annual Mayflower Marathon benefiting the Open Pantry, is still looking for a location for this year’s food drive after being told last week the Basketball Hall of the Fame will no longer allow the food drive to take place in its south parking lot.
On July 27, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez met with Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva to discuss the issue. A statement released after the meeting said “State Representative Carlos Gonzalez met with the Naismith Basketball Hall to discuss the availability of the Hall of Fame for the Mayflower Marathon.
‘We were able to reopen lines of communication’ as all parties agreed to reengage in conversation to seek solutions to support the 28-year long Mayflower Marathon event, which is a major fundraiser for the Open Pantry with the ultimate goal of feeding seniors and families in need.
“As the representative of the people, I want to thank all parties in advance for being willing to engage in a conversation to negotiate and find a solution that benefits all parties. Building consensus opens doors and I’m excited for the opportunity for us to set a good example here,” said state Rep. Gonzalez.”
Gonzalez is planning to meet again “on or before” Aug. 10, but Steve Nagle of Rock102 explained to Reminder Publishing this may not work. He said the station staff traditionally plans now for the event in November, and Aug. 10 may be too late.
The meeting with Gonzalez came after appeals from Mayor Domenic Sarno to the Hall of Fame management to reconsider the decision. The mayor wrote, “I respectfully reach out to you to please reconsider your decision to not have the annual Mayflower Marathon done by the top rated Rock 102 Bax, Steve and Dave Morning show, which benefits thousands of individuals and families dealing with food insecurities in the greater Springfield area through our Open Pantry operations. This event has been held for over 25 years and has caused no prior disruptions and/or complaints from your establishments. It is received with tremendous amount of goodwill from all involved including you, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.”
The announcement came as a surprise to the listeners of the Rock102 morning show last week when Mike Baxendale, Dave Coombs and Nagle revealed the event, which Baxendale noted has raised millions of dollars in donations over the past 28 years, would not be hosted by the Hall of Fame. Baxendale explained to Reminder Publishing that in 2021 the Hall of Fame management told the radio station they might not be hosting the event, but only confirmed it last week.
Listeners have suggested via Facebook moving the event to the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, the Enfield Mall in Enfield, CT and the Big E grounds in West Springfield. Reaction to the news from listeners included criticism of the Hall of Fame.
Doleva outlined in an email and said the Hall of Fame had made a decision nine months ago and had notified the radio station the reasons behind the decision, stating, “Mr. Byrne [Alex Byrne of Rock 102] reached out just recently and we provided the same response to him based on the growth in our business via new tenants and strong organic growth of our existing tenants, as was anticipated last fall. Certainly, if you are a fan of Springfield you have to have some level of delight in the success our businesses are having on the Riverfront, I think.”
Doleva added. “‘Rock 102’ was informed last fall (2021) that the Hall of Fame had made the decision that we could no longer accommodate the Mayflower marathon based on anticipated increased parking needs; this was acknowledged by Rock 102’s Alex Byrne. Again, first notification was nine months ago and acknowledged by Rock 102.”
He emphasized, “This is a business decision made at the property management level to protect ALL tenants (12 individual entities on the site) and their ability to secure safe, secure and plentiful parking for their guests.”
Doleva also noted, “The opening of The Place 2 Be, a new restaurant execution on our south side had a tremendous launch in July and has experienced a consistently high customer response with high demand for parking in the 7a.m. to 8 p.m. (and potentially later) timeframe. As COVID [-19] subsides, the Hilton Garden Hotel property has seen occupancy rates return to normal or even higher than pre-COVID[-19] rates with an increased parking demand; this hotel consistently has the highest occupancy rates in our region. The Basketball Hall of Fame, with its recent $25 million investment in an all new museum experience has seen a 45 percent increase in attendance when compared to pre-COVID[-19] (2018, 2019) attendance figures and our evening business of hosting events within the museum has grown exponentially as well leading to expanded parking needs.”
In lieu of providing space for the event, Doleva said the management company for the Hall of Fame property will donate $5,000 and the Hall of Fame will donate $2,500.
Baxendale commented on Facebook on July 28, “First of all, I’d like to thank everybody for their support concerning the future of the Mayflower Marathon. While I cannot agree with the Basketball Hall of Fame’s decision, I think we CAN all agree on one thing. And that is the Mayflower Marathon will go on regardless of where we wind up. The Open Pantry is an essential service to our community. Despite the politics involved, that is where I’m choosing to focus my attention.
“Your suggestions for alternative sites have been overwhelming. And your support of the Marathon has been humbling to say the least. Wherever we go, our goal is to do what it best for the Open Pantry. Obviously, our hope is to keep the Mayflower Marathon in Springfield. Maybe we can accomplish that. Maybe we can’t. There will be a bunch of factors involved in the final decision.
“Ultimately, we wish to be partnered with a site that actually wants to be a part of the event and to do what’s best for the community. We also are seeking a place that’s interested in hosting the Marathon for many years to come. Because the reality is, the need for the Open Pantry services never goes away.
“Again, I have been amazed and heartened by our community’s positive reaction and endless support for this event. The Mayflower Marathon has been a true passion for me over the years. In fact, it has been for a lot of people. To see how important it is to you as well has been incredible. Thanks again for your endless support!”