Daily Pilot: 03.03.03

This article appeared in the Daily Pilot, Monday March 3rd, 2003:

Take their money before driving them away

By Lolita Harper

West Newport is party central. Ask Dennis Rodman, Carmen Electra, the marketing director for the KIIS-FM beach house or any 20-somethings you see riding beach cruisers down the boardwalk.

Fireworks or not, the modest patio decks of the quaint beachside cottages are almost always filled with bikini-clad beach bunnies and surfers sharing an afternoon (or morning) cocktail under the Southern California sun. Come 3 p.m., Albertson's grocery store on the peninsula is mobbed with beautiful people, all shopping for more beer, chips, dips and quality cuts of meat to throw on the barbecue.

As the coals and temperature cool and the sunset decorates the sky with a dazzling array of colors, stuffed and lazy party patrons gear up for the evening's festivities by cracking another beer.

I know a lot of you don't like it, but that's the way it is.

City officials have said the problem stems from the high percentage of rentals in the area. They want to "get tough." Change their reputation and promote the more docile side of their sleepy coastal village. City Council members allocated an extra $64,300 to fight the rebellious rabble-rousers this summer.

Save your money. It won't help.

You are waging a war against a generation of people who grew up with the Beastie Boys'  "Fight for Your Right to Party" as their theme song. If you think Greenlight activists are stubborn, try prying a full beer out of the hands of a college student, newly freed from the halls of academia, seeking refuge under the sizzling sun.

But I'm here to say don't balk at Newport's well-deserved reputation, embrace it. Invest in it and reap the benefits.

A fun-loving spirit and carefree attitude are the life's blood of Newport Beach. Just listen to some of the wild tales Judge Gardner has to tell.

Spend some time with his clan, the Balboa Island Sculling and Punting Society, and they will tell you stories that make Rodman's late-night romps look like romper room. Talk to the Commodore of the now-defunct Crystal Cove Yacht Club (really just a pile of drift wood), where residents would meet for martinis and beachside bonfires. The history of the city seems to be one of lighthearted revelry, with just the right touch of enterprising responsibility.

Now, this little paradise is close to being built out. Property taxes are up. And the laid back, anything goes attitude is about as easy to find as affordable housing. Except in West  Newport.

Yes, West Newport has many rentals. Many homes are vacation rentals, attracting tourist revenues and amassing a measly $1,800 per week for property owners. By suggesting a decrease in the number of rentals just to combat Fourth of July problems, you are threatening very valuable tourist dollars that come in the other 364 days of the year.

Those without the sun block, fanny packs, maps and cameras are young professionals (or just spoiled adults who are still "sponsored" by their parents) who are not ready to buy, but want to live near the beach.

I know at least a dozen Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high school graduates who live on the peninsula or West Newport because they don't want to leave and they make wages that allow them to live on an oceanfront property. Yes, they are young, and yes, they enjoy the occasional cocktail. And yes, they are hosting Fourth of July parties.

Instead of combating my feisty generation of fun seekers -- locals or tourists -- employ those enterprising skills that made you successful enough to live in Newport Beach in the first place. Take a long hard look at the problem and find a way to make it work in your favor. Turn it into a money-maker.

Here's a good example:

Beverly Gianna, vice president of communications for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she can't imagine why any city would want to douse the high spirits of its residents and guests.

"If something gets out of hand, you don't do away with it, you fix it and make it work for you," Gianna said.

The city of New Orleans generates nearly $1 billion a year from the Mardi Gras industry, ranging from city sales and hotel tax revenues to profits of local businesses that cater to the massive celebration. The party is always a success because the leaders embrace the event and work to make it run more smoothly.

"What we do here is successful because it represents what we are, how we live and how we celebrate," she said.

Of course, things get a little out of hand, but that's where local law enforcement steps in. New Orleans officials create a fun, welcoming atmosphere for their partying guests instead of treating them like the enemy. Guests are more likely to modify their wild behavior willingly when there is not an adversarial attitude, she said.

New Orleans promotes their famous Mardi Gras celebration on the home page of their Web site and they make money doing it.

How 'bout it Newport? We could call it the Newport Beach Freedom Festival or the West Coast Liberty Gala. How about the Annual Get-Drunk-Here- and-Leave-Us-All-Your-Money Gras.

City officials could close down Balboa Boulevard and charge a small entrance fee. It could be carnival Newport Beach style, and the city could promote wristband packages of varying levels, from basic entrance to the festivities ($25) to a deluxe package that includes a free shuttle ride to a participating hotel for their discounted night's stay (for about $150). All packages would be booked ahead of time, and each participant would receive a small pamphlet outlining the general rules of conduct. Stiff fines would be levied on those who broke the rules, and the offenders would be made examples of what not to do.

Once in Newport Beach, they are bound to open their wallets. By keeping people centralized, you would keep them out of front yards and off the streets. Folks wouldn't drive, they would just wander aimlessly and blissfully down the street -- spending money along the way. Police could be concentrated in that one area to keep things under control (Those strapping Newport Beach police officers can certainly handle it. They are among the best in the nation, right?)

The city could host a spectacular fireworks show for their guests, with an extravagant finale done with the flare and style that Newport Beach is famous for. Instead of negative media coverage, TV stations would flock to cover the latest celebration hot spot, and the mayor could get sound bites on all the major channels.

Mardi Gras is the best promotional item the city of New Orleans has, Gianna said.

"It is a definite, definite economic benefit," she said. "Hotel occupancy, tourism ... just look at the exposure that your city gets. From NBC to the Travel Channel and all the domestic major networks, it is exposure no money can buy."

Do you hear that, Mayor Bromberg and Messrs. Ridgeway, Proctor, Adams, Web, Heffernan and Nichols? It's the favorite sound of Newport Beach residents:

Cha-ching!

LOLITA HARPER