Location, Location, Location is a mantra that every real estate agent sings and preaches to their buyers especially when looking at business property. As it turns out, the same mantra can be said for events. Have you ever thought about what goes into site selection for an event? It is actually a lot harder than you might think. There are so many variables to weigh when selecting the particular venue for an event.
I actually haven't given this much thought until this year as most races that we deal with have already chosen a site or it is a long-standing race and is hosted at the same place every year. This year though has been difficult for many events. Brackenridge park in San Antonio is closed to races for the next two years due to a major drainage project so many events have been forced to find a new location. This has caused quite a dilemma for the organizations hosting these events. As it turns out, there are lot of really good locations that haven't gotten much use.
A race director has to consider not only whether the venue will accomodate their event as to the date, but there are other factors such as: does it have enough parking for the expected turnout?, is it convenient for the participants?, what are the permitting requirements?, is it possible to have a safe and fun course?, does it require barricades and police?, etc. It's enough to make a race director go mad.
Personally, I have enjoyed getting to see some new venues that we haven't worked before. There are some really beautiful parks in the area that don't get much use. Some of these I'll have to come back to on a non-race day just to check out. Maybe you have experienced the same thing. What are some of your favorite race locations?
If you're thinking about hosting your own event, contact Athlete Guild and we can make some suggestions. We're always here to help. See you at the race!
