Beach Revenues Up Over Last Year
By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Most shore towns saw increases in beach revenues for the 2007 season, with Bradley Beach and Asbury Park showing the biggest increases.
This was the scene at the Asbury Park beachfront Sunday of Labor Day weekend.
In Bradley Beach Borough Administrator Phyllis Quixley said it was a banner year.
We were about $150,000 over what we anticipated, she said. It was a wonderful year.
Total revenues, said Quixley, were $965,000, with $815,000 anticipated based on last years figures.
You never know what the summer is going to be like, she said. We could have had rainy weekends.
Quixley said the figure is even more impressive given the fact that season badges are sold at half price from Thanksgiving to Dec. 31.
Taking that into consideration, it was good summer, said Quixley. And we had a wonderful Labor Day weekend, and that doesnt usually happen it was a 10.
Asbury Park Public Works Director Gary Giberson said 2007 was the best beach season in 15 years.
This years unofficial revenue total is $273,000, $72,000 more than last year.
It may go up slightly, Giberson said.
He attributed the rise to increase beach activity and slightly higher beach badge fees.
Giberson also credits beachfront developers Madison Marquette for improvements to the area including paving Ocean Avenue and installing the streetscape.
Madison Marquette, he said, provided many opportunities for entertainment and activities, including re-opening the Paramount Theater, fireworks displays, fairs and festivals and The Party Dolls who performed at the 5th Avenue beach Sunday night.
There was a cascade of good things happening. Theres a trend of more people on the beach and boardwalk, said Giberson, who has ambitious goals for the 2008 season.
Id like to think we could double it next year thats ambitious but…....
Giberson also credits Mother Nature for this years success.
The weather gods were with us, he said joking. Labor Day was the icing on the cake.
Giberson said many local groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Tom Gilmour Director of Commerce, contributed to the increased revenue.
We work together as a team, he said.
Lorraine Carafa, administrator in Loch Arbour, said revenues at that beach were a little less than the previous year at $145,570.
It was a little less, she said.
She attributed the decline to two recent changes in the area: the opening of the Deal Casino to the public and more people going to the beaches in Asbury Park.
There was a little more competition in the area, Carafa said.
In Allenhurst, Borough Clerk Lori Osborn said beach revenues exceeded expectations.
They were better than we anticipated, with the gorgeous weather we had, she said.
Osborn said this week she did not recall having to shut down the beach on a weekend the entire season.
Osborn said daily beach badge revenue was more than $17,000 for the season, while beach club membership brought in a little over $1 million.
She added that club membership may have been up due to a rise in fees.
Rev. Scott Hoffman of Ocean Grove said pre-Labor Day figures were 10 percent above last years totals.
Rev. Scott is on vacation this week, so did not have exact figures, but said, It was a phenomenal beach season. It surpassed last years and that was a great season.
Hoffman also agreed that weather was a big factor.
Weather helps, were pretty weather-dependent, he said.
Last years Labor Day weather was cool and rainy so Hoffman is expecting overall figures to reflect an even higher percentage.
Last years Labor Day was a washout, he said.
The lifeguard staff there worked on 6,577 preventative actions, 328 riptide rescues and 120 additional rescues.
Next year the Ocean Grove beach management plans to purchase and install more rollout beach walkways.
Contact Joanne Papaianni at joanne@thecoaster.net.
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