Homecoming 2009: A Sound Investment for Dearborn
Dearborn’s annual Homecoming festival could draw all-time record crowds this August, thanks to the city’s decision to hire pop star recording artist/actor Rick Springfield as the headline act.
Rick Springfield will take the stage at Dearborn Homecoming on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m.
While none of the Grammy-award winner’s songs are in my iPod, Springfield’s appearance on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m. at Ford Field Park will greatly benefit the many nonprofit groups that operate fundraising booths at the festival. These organizations rely on strong attendance, which generates booth traffic and sales. Many of those proceeds then go back to fund their respective community causes. Over the three-day weekend, some groups will gross as much as $14,000 and gain valuable name recognition for their organizations.
There are some residents balking at the city’s approval to pay Springfield $40,000 for his performance at this year’s Homecoming, but when you step back and examine the bigger picture the check written to the Australian-born singer has a more positive impact than it may appear.
Drawing people to the Dearborn Homecoming is only accomplished by providing the right attractions. The standard festival with a few beer tents and five minutes worth of fireworks won’t get anywhere close to the average 150,000 people who attend the Dearborn Homecoming over its three day period.
Take a look at Novi. That city this year cancelled its equivalent of the Dearborn Homecoming due to poor attendance.
Dearborn is fortunate in that it has many generous sponsors that have contributed some $90,000 this year to help offset the city’s operational costs of producing the festival – an event that is considered by many neighboring communities to be the benchmark festival in Metro Detroit. The sponsorship program allows Dearborn to keep the costs to families down, offering some of the lowest prices of any Metro Detroit festival.
Keep in mind, Dearborn is able to leverage these sponsorships due to its historical attendance figures and the market to which it appeals. The basis of any corporate sponsorship is to get your name in front of as many of the right eyeballs as possible. Homecoming is the perfect setting for this and continues to be a valuable investment for businesses. In addition to sponsorship contributions, Dearborn also receives approximately $35,000 via carnival revenues. (An added bonus this year is that families can now purchase online discounted ride tickets in advance of the festival.)
Sponsorships and other revenues, however, don’t cover all the associated costs of Homecoming. We taxpayers have to do some of that lifting, too. Even so, what Dearborn can’t afford to do is scale back Homecoming to the point where it becomes just another festival or, worse yet, is cancelled. Scaling back during these tough economic times when some people can’t afford to go and pay for a concert or even take their children to an amusement park is the wrong time for cost-cutting. From where we sit, Dearborn Homecoming is the best event our city puts on each year. People can and will complain about the city spending money but the reality is that it costs money (yes, our tax dollars) to produce a quality event. And people today, probably more than ever, need a nice event to go to these days. Plain and simple.
Homecoming fireworks cost money, too. To the tune of $22,000 per night, $12,500 of which is covered by sponsors each night. A Dearborn Homecoming without fireworks? Unthinkable. The same should be said of a headline music act. Dearborn has had K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Eddie Money and the Commodores perform in recent years. All of which came with a pretty big price tag (the Commodores were more than Springfield, for instance) and drew major crowds.
Springfield may not be my kind of music but he is followed by thousands of other people who will travel from across the state for the free blanket-space and concert in Dearborn. And while these fans are waiting, they will be spending their money at one of the 28 nonprofit, Dearborn-based organizations who operate booths at the festival.
So here’s to a successful Dearborn Homecoming. If you’d like a copy of all Dearborn Homecoming events, you can pick one up at various locations throughout Dearborn or by clicking HERE.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 am
A sound investment??? Not so sure. As I enjoy the homecoming festivities, I would rather the money go towards our education. Maybe towards the music programs that are being cut at two of the middle schools!!!
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Springfield is overrated, as well as overpaid. Not a bad pay day for a has-been.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Rami, What’s his pay for this gig?
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Long Parent x4
Unless the city wants to make a $40,000 donation to the school district there is no way that the money spent for Homecoming could be used in the schools.
I’m not sure if people understand this or not but THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE TWO DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT BODIES. They do not share the same budget. The city doesnot make decesions for the school district and the Mayor doesn’t oversee the schools. Please stop making comments that make it appear that the city and school district are one in the same.
Thank you
July 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Is Rick Springfield related to somebody in Dearborn? Otherwise, I can’t figure out why he would even make the short list of entertainers for Homecoming. Or, does someone involved in planning the Homecoming or funding it get a kickback vis a vis a talent agency? Hmmm….
July 4th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Rami, Rick Springfield is neither overrated, nor a has-been. I live Downriver, have never attended the Dearborn Homecoming in my life, and plan on it this year due to the fact that he is playing.
Get your facts straight before you slam the headliner. Try http://www.rickspringfield.com for starters. I’m not going to waste my time touting his success here. You found this page, you obviously know how to navigate the internet.
I know people coming from Ohio, Indiana and even Canada to attend this show. I guess that pretty much proves what the point of this blog is – it will be quite a boost to the city of Dearborn. I think they’ll find it was worth the investment to hire RS.
July 4th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I truly cant wait for Homecoming this year! I have a blast with both day time events with the kids and then coming back out at night with my sister and brothers. What a fun time to come together and mingle and visit with everyone!
July 5th, 2009 at 7:59 am
I could not disagree more. This is a huge waste of funds. Apparently the city is even backtracking on this choice and promising local headlining acts for next year’s Homecoming.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Old all day school mom.
if you go back over the years you will see that the city has contracted with only a couple of companies when the council approves the expense. I’m not sure if these are talent agencts or managers. One name is Ribonno or something like that.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Zandersmom, you must be Springfields p.r. rep because I never felt he was a nobody, but I wonder the acts we could have gotten, and saved money, as well as keep it a local homecoming. I for one could care less whether you or people from other states come here to see him, because thats not what homecoming is about. Lets keep it for what it was meant for, a homecoming for our former Dearbornites, and for the minimal amount that you and outsiders will spend for a free concert, give me a break.
July 5th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
“I think they’ll find it was worth the investment to hire RS.”
“Investment” implies that the city will make some kind of profit from this event. Not local service organizations, but rather the city. So how much profit (in cash) does the city bring in with Homecoming? I see it as an expenditure.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:20 am
If Zandersmom is right, and we get some additional regional traffic (revenue) through Dearborn, I don’t see how that’s a bad thing, considering the state of our economy at present.
However, I also agree that this does not mesh with the overall Homecoming concept. I’d like to see local talent options at a greatly reduced cost next year. Perhaps there are other more creative (and intuitive) ways to support the Dearborn economy than bringing in Rick?
July 6th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
50 AMP Fuse would be fantastic!! Local, and an outstanding cover band…
July 6th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I think it is well worth it. Rick is not a has-been- he just released a new CD last year and his music from the late 90’s is even better than his 80’s stuff. I have been to some of his concerts and not only will he draw people from around the state, but around the country. I have met people who travel to 2 or more shows a month to see him. If they have the money to do that, let them, and let them come spend it here!
July 7th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Performers who once were “huge” who play these smaller venues are nothing new. They travel all over the country. The pay they receive is commensurate with their draw. If you have ever had to put together some event like Homecoming, you know the costs and risks and the compensation that must be made based on whether the act can pull in a lot of people. Local talent is great, nothing wrong with that. But RS will draw folks from all over. They’ll come and spend money, they may stay the night if they are from out of town, they’ll watch what Dearborn’s doing next year for this festival. Just a small part of putting on a successful event.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:25 am
All that’s important is that Dearborn makes money—regardless of who the “talent” is that can attract dollars.
Good luck with this, Deaborn!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
50 AMP plays Sunday and I can’t wait for that!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
come on. there’s a little part of all of us that longs to rock out to Jesse’s Girl on a hot summer night. stop trying to put the freeze on fun. i realize we are in tough times, schools are struggling, money is tight, budgets need to be looked at, but when we stop coming together for a little light-hearted entertainment, then what is left? why must the contributers to this site constantly focus on what we don’t have, what we need, what’s wrong, etc.? if this was the only site one was to read about dearborn, they would think we were all a bunch of eeyore’s = “why does it matter, gonna fall off again anyways.” why not focus for a change on the fact that Dearborn is actually still willing (and able) to bring something somewhat cool (even if it is old school) to the community. i’m a huge fan of fifty amp fuse…they played at my wedding as a matter of fact. i’ll be watching them on sunday night of the festival and singing along proudly. to put it in to perspective, when they make it big and head out of town, wouldn’t we all be behind the city for bringing them back for 40k when the time is right…i think yes. kick off your shoes ladies and gents. stop being such sticks in the mud. by the way, did anyone note that springfield was part of the FPAC’s concert series last year? perhaps the city’s event team was able to leverage this in the negotiations for homecoming and perhaps he drew a large enough crowd at that venue to warrant bringing him back. there is strategy in this type of contracting. put a little faith in the professionals making the deals.
July 14th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Driving two hours from Grand Rapids to watch this supposed “has been” give me a break….he is worth the drive. He does a fantastic show. Plus its getting me and my friends to come to your city and spend out money! I look forward to it 🙂
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:14 am
I believe the Dearborn Homecoming is the best event the city puts on. It brings people and former clasmates together, offers events and entertainment for a variety of people and it’s in Ford Field, a beautiful park that sits in a beautiful area of the city.
I see no issue with bringing in Rick Springfield or any other type of entertainment which results in people attending who might not attend otherwise. His fee is an enormous amount of money in a time when all cities are struggling due to the poor economy, but it is even moreso crucial that during struggling times that a city offer such events. This event brings the city together for good, healthy times and this is what I believe we need.
July 25th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
I might be young, but i do know one of his songs, Jessi’s Girl. Wish i could be there, but i will be at camp.