On Mar 27, 2007, at 9:23 AM, Hinge wrote:
> Gary and Werner,
> In your opinion, why do you think Asbury would be negative about
> supporting a music
> scene in a town known for it?
There is a percentage of people who do not like the idea of Asbury
Park utilizing its past for whatever reasons. Sometimes I get the
feeling they think that tourism failed in the last 35 years when they
really didn't do anything to help or support the idea of tourism. In
fact, tourism (music foremostly) was the primarily reason for
outsiders to come to Asbury Park from the 80s to 2000. Even when the
town was at its "worst", the music fans kept coming.
I have no idea why the town didn't want to bank on this. I always
believe that towns are somewhat handed their cards and they have to
play what they're dealt. I often use the Las Vegas as an example.
Las Vegas tried abandoning its past and upgrading its image about a
decade ago. It didn't work. So instead they went the other
direction and flaunted, lampooned, and saluted their image with "what
happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". They realized what worked for them.
In Asbury, there can be little doubt that music is what works.
Look at the crowds from around the country for Bruce Springsteen on
the Today Show a few years back. How about 80-100,000 on the beach
for WNEW concerts in the late 80s and early 90s? How about the fact
that a newspaper story about Asbury Park and music will be picked up
by newspapers around the world? (even our NJ Music Hall of Fame
story made at least 500 newspapers worldwide)
> Also, how is it that TriCity could have a strong enough influence
> to make an difference on
> this topic. Quite often, i'm disgusted by the opinions expressed by
> TriCity, and I have to believe
> many others feel this way.
I'm not sure why, but I think it does. I think some businesses worry
that if they're involved with something that TriCity doesn't like
that it will reflect poorly on them or hurt them. Maybe they're
afraid that the publisher will start attacking them the way he's
attacking many people personly in print (including me with his insane
rant full of expletives) - I can understand that to a point, but I
agree with you that there are a lot of people who disagree with the
paper. Some even think the paper is a joke. Yet, you can't argue
that people do pick it up.
All I know is that TriCity was 100% behind killing such Asbury Park
icons as the Palace, the Stone Pony and the Casino; they were 100%
behind making sure Asbury Park left its past in the past and did not
try to recreate what it was; they were 100% behind making sure that a
New Jersey Music Hall of Fame (not "rock and roll hall of fame" as
Dan J. described it) would never see the light of day; and Dan J.
lied when he said he'd be behind saving the Upstage (the true rock
and roll heritage as he put it) because when he was asked to help he
never did anything.
Unfortunately for the businesses on Cookman and the people in Asbury
Park, I think Tri City is generally wrong when they write about
tourism. It seems to me that they are part of the group that wants
Asbury Park to be just for people in Asbury Park when others (like
me) believe Asbury Park could be something great (and something for
the world).
It's just two different views.
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