The SuperJam event took place at the Greensboro Coliseum last weekend. This event had previously been associated with considerable amounts of crime and disorder locally.
But immediately prior to Superjam, it was interesting to see that WFMY had a segment promoting the event:
Note how Frank Mickens suggests it is just a bunch of young people having fun; how the second-in-command at the Coliseum sings Superjam's praises; and how another person suggests the event is great for Greensboro because attendees rent stretch Hummers. I guess being green no longer matters, at least for a night.But then a comment on this blog from Axelskater suggested that downtown Greensboro did not experience a disorderly Superjam aftermath. Why? Because the Greensboro Police Department had implemented a plan of proactive policing, and headed off some problems. Ed Cone made it sound as if the scene downtown was idyllic, but it was not quite so simple as that. The after-midnight Superjam mess downtown was headed off by police, apparently to a large extent.
I do not know what the scene was like on High Point Road.
I put in a public information request to learn how much the GPD had spent to contain Superjam. I received a response on Friday; but magically the city reported to the media the police report that very same day. The bottom line? There were quite a number of arrests, and at least one gunshot incident.
Some parties might feel the need to minimize the problems associated with SuperJam. But I would argue that an entertainment event that results in a gunshot incident can hardly be viewed as a success.
The GPD reported that calls for service were down 33 percent from the previous year. This was apparently to be regarded as progress. But then I read an article in Yes!Weekly that might explain the situation further. It turns out that SuperJam this year did not attract any major headliner "artists". Attendance was therefore down 25% compared with last year. You would therefore expect a commensurate 25% reduction in crime associated with the event.
In any case, the city has reported that the additional police expenses attributable to SuperJam totaled approximately $75,000. And the city advised me that it was Chief Miller who authorized these expenses from his departmental budget.
Yes!Weekly reported that the paid attendance was approximately 12,000. I believe the price was $10 per ticket (correct me if I am wrong about that). That means the gate revenues from the event were $120,000. The Coliseum would also accrue some income from concessions and parking. But on the other hand, I think the "artists" probably must be paid a significant amount out of the gate revenues. Some simple arithmetic suggests that the exorbitant police-related expenses because of the historic crime pattern makes the event overall highly questionable from a financial standpoint. How much money does the city have to make from parking, concessions and its percentage from the gate in order to justify this police expense? It almost seems ridiculous.
But the more fundamental question is why the city continues to sponsor an event at its Coliseum that breeds so much crime and disorder, and that requires such an outsized police presence. Some of us wonder why we sponsor events that train young people to be thugs. Frank Mickens' explanation is absurd, of course. But I think the true answer is that SuperJam returns every year because the city's politics will not permit otherwise. The Coliseum management doesn't give a flip about the public safety. And it is simply unthinkable that any elected official will decide that this is a battle worth fighting; or that other public officials will stick their neck out in opposition. It is easier to let the shootings and the crime continue.
Matt Brown told me the coliseum usually makes about $80,000 from the event. I don't know if that is in excess of the additional police expense you mention above.
I hope to have more financial information after the August WMC meeting.
Posted by: Tony Wilkins | June 29, 2011 at 11:05 PM
SuperJam ticket prices are generally tiered.
In the past they've ranged from $10 to $17.50 and $25 for better seats to $30 for VIP floor seats.
Posted by: Joe Killian | June 29, 2011 at 11:08 PM
Tony, it would be good to know; but I doubt Brown takes into account the police expense of $75,000 because it is not his budget. Thanks for the info, and would appreciate hearing more in August.
It sounds like the city might only make $5,000 for an event that generates loads of crime and disorder. If that is true, it would be a very foolish choice to continue.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | June 29, 2011 at 11:10 PM
Joe, thanks for the info. I thought I had seen online that the tickets were $10. But if Tony's data is correct, that gets us closer to the bottom line-- perhaps a profit to the city of only $5,000, with all the shootings and crime and disorder that have to be contained.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | June 29, 2011 at 11:13 PM
Couple observations:
Frank Mickens is a very talented TV personality, but I am noticing more and more an encroaching lefward tilt to the News 2 6pm and 11pm broadcasts. I don't think this is by accident. I believe Mickens has gained considerable editorial control over his newscasts.
Mickens essentially gave the Coliseum a two-minute, 14 second commercial. A total puff piece. Nowhere was there anyone stating a negative opinion about Superjam. No interview or even a comment from the Greensboro Police Department. Just a bland soundbite from the always camera-ready Scott Johnson, a big promotional plug from Tap Money of 102 Jamz and the obligatory crowd comments.
Look, this is a hip hop show. In terms of economic impact, I'm sure it gives advertisers and businesses a boost. But News 2 was making this thing look like the ACC tournament.
Is there no one at News 2 or any of the mainstream Triad media who has the guts to ask the Coliseum tough questions? Are they all utter slaves to their advertising revenue?
Posted by: Lee Harvey | June 30, 2011 at 12:33 AM
Just think of Super Jam being for East Greensboro as the equivalent of the ACC Tournament for Irving Park.
Posted by: Don Moore | June 30, 2011 at 06:37 AM
I quit watching Channel 2 and will not return as long as Mickens is there. And lest we forget, WFMY was the first commercial TV channel in this part of NC.
Posted by: Ken Hill | June 30, 2011 at 07:28 AM
" Are they all utter slaves to their advertising revenue?"
Alarm! Alarm! Implied racism. Off to sensitivity training for you!
Posted by: Hugh | June 30, 2011 at 09:17 AM
Great post, Lee. Thanks.
Ken, I stopped watching WFMY when the station continued to slant reporting of the GPD fiasco.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | June 30, 2011 at 09:31 AM
Joe, did the city give any detail on where the $75,000 went? Was it for normal straight-time salary of officers normally on duty? Was it straight-time pay for officers rescheduled to work on a special event (do they even do that?)? Was it over-time pay premium? Did it include overhead costs like supervision, vehicles, etc? $75K would cover 250 officers for 10 hours (4:00PM-2:00AM) at $30/hr. (approx. straight-time pay cost). Were there that many officers on duty specifically for SuperJam? Do I sound like George Hartzman?
Posted by: Preston Earle | June 30, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Preston, I did not ask for all those details, but here is what the N&R reported:
"Miller said 212 off-duty officers and 134 on-duty officers and staff members worked the event from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Off-duty officers worked 1,436 hours at a cost of $44,572. On-duty personal worked 1,305 hours at $30,313.
"The projected total cost to staff the event is $74,886. The final numbers will not be available until July, he said."
Posted by: Joe Guarino | June 30, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Joe, thanks for that detail. Seems to me the costs of policing SuperJam should be listed closer to $45K since the $30K on-duty personnel costs would have been there even if there were no SuperJam. The respective hour costs ($31.04 and $23.23) seem reasonable.
Posted by: Preston Earle | June 30, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Preston, I am not sure if that is entirely true. Even if the same on-duty costs would have been there (and again I am not sure whether that is true or not), they are diverted from their usual functions almost by definition if they are working Superjam.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | June 30, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Killian.. What is your point ? Guarino's observation stands unblunted . You should do similar reporting, that is if Matt Brown and John Robinson will allow it !!!!
Posted by: timur | June 30, 2011 at 03:15 PM
Wow, talk about the WFMY2 slant. After promoting the Superjam and then saying the “after party” was ok, News2 makes no mention of the Taylor Swift concert.
When you search digtriad for most recent results for Taylor Swift it shows:
1. June 30th Superjam article that mentions “Taylor Swift concert on Thursday will have 30 officers present”
2. June 15th AP story mentioning Taylor made 45 million last year.
3. May 31st AP story that Taylor is back on tour. (no mention of GSO)
I scanned back a year and saw no local News2 story dedicated to this superstar coming to Greensboro.
Here is a link of her awards (and it’s a boat load of ‘em). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Taylor_Swift
New2 will do all they can to pump up Superjam but then turn a blind eye to a superstar coming to town. It must not fit there agenda. She is white. And with all those millions, she must be part of evil corporate America. She doesn’t even sing about getting a Glock and poppin a cap in someone. Unfortunately, she actually has a song AGAINST bullying.
I guess Taylor Swift just bankrolled the next Superjam with plenty of cash flow left over. And not so much as a thank you from News2.
Posted by: Steve | July 01, 2011 at 01:27 AM
Great contrast, Steve. Thanks.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 01, 2011 at 06:38 AM
Steve, Taylor Swift is a country/pop singer and songwriter. To date she has not been arrested for carrying a gun, beating up a music journalist who have her a bad review, busted for carrying drugs, seen in a stretch Hummer limo, or had a DUI or was photographed by papparazi intoxicated in public.
In other words, she's boring.
Alternatively, Taylor will have a long, successful career in music. Her publishing deals alone will make her insanely wealthy. She will remain a household name and multiple-award winner long after the Superjam artists fade into obsurity (or long prison sentences).
Posted by: Lee Harvey | July 01, 2011 at 07:46 PM
"...long after the Superjam artists fade into obsurity (or long prison sentences)."
....or reside six feet under,
Posted by: Bubba | July 01, 2011 at 09:55 PM