San Angelo Chamber Cedes Control of Boat Races to Lucas Oil

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce will no longer be involved in the annual boat races, The Showdown in San Angelo.

Dan Koenig announced as such at last Tuesday’s city council meeting. Friday, he sent an email to the chamber membership saying “with mixed emotion” the chamber’s association with the drag boat races has ended.

Koenig said the event’s principle promoter, Lucas Oil, asked the chamber to step aside so the race promoter could do it itself. “Lucas Oil informed us of their desire to ‘self-promote’ their races across the country, thus eliminating the need to partner with the Chamber here in San Angelo,” Koenig stated in the email.

Former Chamber Director of Sales and Servicing Jenni Campbell left the chamber in December and is rumored to be now working for Lucas. It was Campbell that landed the drag boat races in San Angelo 10 years ago.

The races will continue this year on June 23-25, 2017. The official schedule is here.

For Koenig, he said the chamber should take a victory lap. “The Chamber and our many partners are very proud of our role in helping establish this race some 10 years ago and of our active involvement and investment to help grow and mature the races into what they are today,” he wrote.

The city manager was authorized to negotiate directly with Lucas Oil to rent the facilities and dock space at the Jan. 17 city council meeting. Carl White, City Parks and Recreation Director, said Lucas was considering a second event in September. White said the weekend event has an economic impact of approximately $2.5 million.

The city manager will negotiate a three-year agreement with Lucas for a flat annual rental fee for use of the parks. The event takes over Spring Creek Park and Middle Concho Park every year for the three-day event.

Koenig told council last Tuesday the chamber is losing some revenue by not being the organizer of the event. He said the chamber has a committee that raises $200,000 and after all the expenses are paid usually nets $20,000.

Nonetheless, Koenig said the chamber is supportive of continuing the races.

Koenig revealed the chamber spent over $65,000 in advertising last year. Koenig said the chamber procured $110,000 in “in kind,” or free, advertising.

All of the value the chamber brought to the city promoting the boat races is not lost on the president. Koenig told the chamber he was seeking ideas for something else for the chamber to seed with money that will be as successful. Koenig said his focus would be on creating a new event that further increases the number of motel room nights.