2010 Red Bull Air Races-Is it returning to Windsor?

**One Shot** · November-09-09, 12:43 PM

I think this is a pretty cool event and have attended the last two by boat. I'm wondering if anyone has heard if Windsor might host it again next year? I KNOW Detroit wont.

I couldn't find anything on their website about the 2010 schedule.

**davewindsor** · November-20-09, 01:48 AM

From Nov 20, 09 Windsor Star

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Mayo...290/story.html
Mayor on quickie trip to Frankfurt

"...At noon, Francis was meeting with officials from the Red Bull Air Race, who are looking at Windsor to repeat as a host city on the 2010 international race circuit. Despite the civic strike, this yearâ€™s event was a huge local success, and Francis said Windsor is â€œin the midst of the process of applying for provincial funding for 2010. ...â€

In other words, the 2010 Red Bull Races in Windsor are still under negotiation.

**One Shot** · November-20-09, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the follow up! I HOPE they do! As a boater it is an awesome event to attend. I have stayed at the Tri-Centennial State Park on Atwater street the past two years along with many other boaters and its a great time and being downtown on the boat is awesome. Lets hope!

**davewindsor** · January-22-10, 04:29 PM

To the one who asked, it's finally official. The Ontario Government has spent $10million in addition to the City of Windsor's contribution to lock in the Red Bull Races in Windsor over the Detroit River for the next two years.

http://www.windsorstar.com/entertain...987/story.html

WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Red Bull air race will return to Windsor for the next two years, thanks to a $10-million investment by the Ontario government.
"Last year, the Windsor race attracted a viewership of over one billion people worldwide," said Windsor-Tecumseh MPP and Ontario finance minister Dwight Duncan, who made the announcement accompanied by Windsor West MPP and minister of economic development and trade Sandra Pupatello and Mayor Eddie Francis. "It's an enormous tourism marketing opportunity for this
community."
The two-year commitment is "unprecedented," Pupatello said.
"It is a very competitive circuit, there are a number of cities who want this event," Francis said, noting that the air races are an "amazing and powerful marketing tool."
In 2009, the internationally-televised races attracted 300,000 spectators to Windsor and one billion TV viewers worldwide.
This year's event will be held June 5 and 6. No dates have been set for 2011.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of Saturday's edition of The Windsor Star.
Â© Copyright [[c) The Windsor Star

**Wintersmommy** · January-22-10, 05:25 PM

yeah!! office is moving to the RenCen in April and it will be awesome to see this out my window

**Pcm** · January-22-10, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by Wintersmommy

yeah!! office is moving to the RenCen in April and it will be awesome to see this out my window

Wow, moving TO the RenCen?

That can't be a bad thing.

**Wintersmommy** · January-23-10, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

Wow, moving TO the RenCen?

That can't be a bad thing.

I am over the moon about the move, and its events like this that make me excited. Current office overlooks a Southfield parking lot, not exactly awesome. New office overlooks River & Jefferson and comes with covered 24-7-365 parking for events. Seriously can not wait

**GOAT** · January-23-10, 11:31 AM

Yeah! Don't support the race with your $$$. Instead watch it for free that will make sure we get other interesting events wanting to come to this region.

**Wintersmommy** · January-23-10, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

Yeah! Don't support the race with your $$$. Instead watch it for free that will make sure we get other interesting events wanting to come to this region.

dont want to ASSume ...is this directed at me?

**derrickbecking** · January-23-10, 03:35 PM

I never knew it was such a big success. I wasn't in Windsor the year it happened, but I knew Windsor looked post-apocalyptic on account of all the strikes going on.

Retroit · January-23-10, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by derrickbecking

I never knew it was such a big success. I wasn't in Windsor the year it happened, but I knew Windsor looked post-apocalyptic on account of all the strikes going on.

Yeah, they can't afford to pay the people who cut the grass, but they can pay the pilots to come into town for one weekend to go zoom-zoom over the river. Priorities?

**davewindsor** · January-23-10, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

Yeah, they can't afford to pay the people who cut the grass, but they can pay the pilots to come into town for one weekend to go zoom-zoom over the river. Priorities?

You must be a member of our local unrealistic CUPE union who thinks taxpayers can afford to pay $100 an hour for its members just to cut grass.

**walkerpub** · January-23-10, 06:59 PM

give 'em hell goat!

**GOAT** · January-23-10, 07:26 PM

Yes, I guess paying people obscene gobs of money and then calling in approx. 20 days sick a year is no big deal. Insane benefits and pensions [[plus free education for their school kids) should always be born by the bottomless pockets of taxpayers.

Newsflash Retroit, since Windsor leads the unemployment rate in Canada why should Windsorites suuport one of the highest paid city workers in Ontario [[only 1 other city offers them such penions)? These costs add up to higher taxes which our suburbs don't have to pay [[sound familiar?). Sorry but I don't want Windsor to become a region similar to Detroit [[to which it is already becoming). I will fight tooth and nail to rectify this situation. I supported the city all the way during that strike!

Wintersmommy, yes that was directed at you. What "ASSume" do you mean? If you are watiching the race jfor free how do you expect other event sto come to down if money isn't being made? If we don't support these events withour feet and $$$ they won't come back.

**yupislyr** · January-23-10, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

Yeah, they can't afford to pay the people who cut the grass, but they can pay the pilots to come into town for one weekend to go zoom-zoom over the river. Priorities?

- as stated in the story, and as happened last year, the Ontario government sees it as a big tourism bonus and is heavily subsidizing the event.

- the grass in the paid admission areas was cut

- the grass elsewhere would've been cut too probably. Concerned and/or anti-CUPE citizens attempted numerous times to cut the grass in various areas for various events and sports on a volunteer basis but were often threatened and harassed by CUPE goons. Ultimately the city and police had to try to keep citizens from cutting grass since it looked like things might escalate and who knows what would've happened if someone got hurt. As well, hazardous items [[coat hangers, glass, etc) were magically "appearing" in the grass of popular parks where volunteers were planning on cutting the grass

Retroit · January-24-10, 04:55 PM

Sorry, didn't mean to give the impression that I thought union workers should be overpaid. It just seems to me that if cost is the excuse for not paying workers more, it would be hard to justify frivolous entertainment expenses.

But then again if the government can make a profit even after spending $10 million, I don't see a problem with it. After all, I'm sure they don't make a profit on the parks.

**Wintersmommy** · January-25-10, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by GOAT

Wintersmommy, yes that was directed at you. What "ASSume" do you mean? If you are watiching the race jfor free how do you expect other event sto come to down if money isn't being made? If we don't support these events withour feet and $$$ they won't come back.

LOL i said ASSume because we all know assuming makes an ass out of u and me...sorry its 12 year old humor

I get what your saying but to be honest the parking and indoor access will make it much more likely that i will attened more downtown functions than before..the parking being a non issue will make it more convient for me and the family to head downtown and the access to inside kitchen and bathrooms is a HUGE bonus. But that being said i was really referring to being able to see all the trials and test runs over the river from my desk during the week. I remember seeing someone on the forum last year posting pics they took from thier RenCen window, and now that will be me

**Lowell** · January-25-10, 11:21 AM

I've watched both races from Windsor. There nothing like the dramatic backdrop on the City of Detroit skyline. Windsor puts on a great show and has beautifully paved and clean shorelines that offer the best sight lines. There is a very neighborhood feeling to the crowd.

I wish Wayne County or, better yet, some reviving corporate entity would join in with Windsor, but it is politically impossible at the moment. I hope and pray for GM's return to profitability. It would be the ideal sponsor and, with its location and Rencen ownership stake, could benefit greatly from it.