Sent in by a concerned Tax Payer:
Hello, My name is Tom Marino and I don't usually blog,
but I must say this is fun.
I am the business owner
who "Anonymous" is talking about. I am so sorry you
didn't introduce yourself, as I would have liked to
meet you and chat about the pool. Just to keep things
accurate I don't own a business in Saratoga nor did I
say I did.
I was sent this link by Louise because she though I
might be interested in it since it was directed at me
in particular.
So out of my respect and admiration for Louise and all
she does for the pool I will post this one response,
never to be heard from again.
No, I am not an analyst or a pool manager. I have only
been in the service industry for 35 very successful
years. My comment was based on hard numbers and how
to generate income, which I am very familar with.
Here are my calulations:
9 weekend days from Memorial day to Fathers day. 200
people per day. (low estimate since capacity is 350)
9x200=1800 people.
1800 people paying $6.00 admission
= $10,800.
If only half that number (900) spend an average of
$25.00 for food and drinks, the amount for food and
drinks is $22,500, of which the state receives a substantial
portion of all receipts.
Add admissions to
food/beverage and you get $33,300.
Now, if we add in weekdays too, with only 1/3
capacity of 100 people a day that equals 1400 people
times $6 admission totaling $8400.
Add only HALF of that number of people (700) spending
$25 on food and drink equals $17,500 - Added to
admissions, the total is $25,000.
Grand total for pool
admission and food and drinks lost since Memoral Day
weekend, very conservatively could be $52, 000..
I never
once took into
consideration the unusally high
temperatures, which in the past has put the pool at
capacity numbers.
In all fairness I agree the numbers are an estimate
but if you want to be fair also, I think you will
agree it is a very conservative estimate.
Now, I may not be the smartest person in the world but
one thing I know for certain...this is just business
101.
If people are willing to wait in line, outside
your door with money in their hands, it's only good
business to let them in!
Please, if you seem me at the pool feel free to come
over and say hello. I am always eager to meet a
concerned and civic minded people like yourself.
Good luck and God bless,
Tom
17 comments:
tom, thanks for all your work in providing the facts and figures. maybe the powers that be will take them into consideration, at least for the future.
Tom-
It is my impression that food and drink at the Victoria Pool are a concession (like the Gideon Putnam Hotel or Roosevelt Spa), so the state would see NONE of that food and drink revenue you gamely estimated? Additionally, did you calculate the COST of running the pool, especially on cloudy, colder days, when less people show up?
Helen: the restaurant at the pool is a concession that gives a percentage back to the State. Guestimates have been around $5,000 to have opened the pool Memorial Day and they would have made much much more as Toms very conservative figures show.
It is my understanding that the restaurant contracts with the golf concession, so yes, some of that money makes its way back to the state. Not as much as you think. And, as Helen Scott pointed out, there is no mention of operating costs.
On cold, rainy days you would be lucky to find anyone. Was that taken into consideration?
The adverage temperature for the 3 weeks mentions in the article was 84, so there were no cold rainy days.
The operating cost is no different for that 3 weeks than it is for the rest of the summer, it's just a fact of doing business.
If we go with your statement about cold rainy days, that could happen all summer long...but they still open the pool.
The founding fathers of SSSP huh...well I'm glad to see that the Great Depression didn't weigh to heavily on the almighty FDR's mind...he and his mistress probably had plenty of time between the sheets to decide on the spa pool's operating schedule. Also, if the founding father's picked Labor Day as the closing, why do you harp at the end of the summer about what a beautiful month September can be and how the place should stay open longer?
Ben Gibbons
Saratoga Springs
You seem to be leaving out one important factor...lifeguards. Many state lifeguards are high school students, and they have been in class up until this week, and are currently taking regents exams.
Calculate numbers, temperatures and costs all you want, but that pool can't open without state certified lifeguards.
When calculating the average, I used Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, not May 31. I did this because that was when the society wanted the pool open. I did not pick a date that suited my needs as the society evidently did.
I do not consider mid-60s to low 70s good pool weather and would doubt that would bring in 100 - 200 people. As for rain, are you saying that it hasn't rained since May 24? Where do you live?
Yes, we have cold and rainy days during the summer months in the great northeast, but chances are greater in May and early June that this happens.
If you were to look at this from a truly business point of view, you would take both revenue and expenses into account. Has anyone looked at the official records of revenue and/or attendance for those years when the pool was open on Mem'l Day. I think you would find that from a business perspective it would not be practical. With the economy headed in the direction that it is, you should be ashamed of yourselves for whining about a pool. There will be many people struggling to get to work (if they still have a job) and put food on the table. Get your priorities straight!
Those of us who work for a living and cannot afford gas money stay close to home and can only afford NYS pool in these hard times. Almost all us were able to pay for college working summer jobs at the State Parks. Young people working at the park today are hurting badly because some of them rely on tips which pay for college and they are losing lots of money without the Pool open. Many of us would not have been able to get an education without the Saratoga Spa State Park and we want the same opportunity for future generations.
I couldn't help but notice a picture from your memorial day protest with a yellow sign which read "Saratoga Children need their pool open"
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I worked there last summer and I can't even count the number of times our "usuals" came up to me asking if I could do something about children who were being loud, splashing or having any kind of fun at all. Don't act like this whole cause is for the poor little children.
When I was young, and would throw a tantrum, my mother would tell me "the world doesn't revolve around you."
I think that statement applies to this particular situation.
What do you have to say about this children comment?
Ben Gibbons
Saratoga Springs
Please Ben and anonymous: we try not to answer such silly comments but in reality we often have lots of kids with us. The truth is most kids want to go to Peerless because of the water slide and zero depth entry. Can you blame them? Blaming us for everything is a little too silly.
There are many town pools and apartment complexes that have been opened since Memorial Day and they all have lifeguards. Some how they managed to find them. I doubt that the park even tried to get lifeguards, since they weren't planning on opening the pool anyway.
And as for the post that says,"those years when the pool was open on Mem'l Day. I think you would find that from a business perspective it would not be practical" I don't think the pharase "I think you would find" is based on facts, just opion.
...but then how do you justify your argument that the children of Saratoga need the Victoria Pool to be open?
A comment about the term "average temperature": Just because the AVERAGE was 84 degrees, that doesn't mean that EVERY DAY was 84 degrees- sometimes it was (a lot) colder and sometimes it was (a lot) warmer.
A little less than eight days to go, are you going to give up trying to point out how much money you think the State is losing by being smart and opening on a sensible date or are you going to continue this witch hunt?
Also, I don't think anyone blames you for anything...let alone everything. We just love it when you contradict yourself every other time you post something.
Mr. Tessler
Wilton
Save the Victoria Pool Society-
I am still curious about your response to the former employee who remembers your attitude towards (some) children at the pool last year. How do you justify your claim that the children of Saratoga need the Victoria Pool to be open? Calling a legitimate question or comment "silly" because you don't have a response (or know that you are wrong) is truly childish behavior.
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