OCEAN CITY — Proposed new winter special events for next year, including Broadway Down the Ocean shows at the Performing Arts Center, got the green light from resort officials this week.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo presented to the Mayor and Council a wide range of existing and new special events for this summer, fall and winter as part of his destination marketing strategy. Among the special events proposed for next winter is a series of off-Broadway-style shows at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in the convention center, along with an O.C. Tribute Tour series featuring, as the name suggests, tribute bands for popular national and international acts.
Perlozzo said much of the focus has been on the summer and fall special events, and rightly so, but there are opportunities to produce special events to bolster the winter season and draw more visitors to the resort.
“We still have room tax in the winter,” he said. “We still have food tax in the winter. I think the product is important to sell Ocean City as a winter destination, so we have put together a couple of opportunities including Broadway Down the Ocean and an O.C. Tribute Tour, and obviously we want to revamp other events like OCtoberfest and New Year’s Eve.”
Perlozzo said funding for the fall and winter events is in place and no additional money will be needed to produce them as proposed.
“There are no additional funds needed to do this,” he said. “Special Events, Tourism and the Convention Center can do all of what’s proposed here within the budget. We want to partner the Broadway Down the Ocean as well as the tribute tour. We can get 50% of the revenue, but we’ll also share 50% of the cost.”
When questioned about the proposed tribute tour, Perlozzo explained the concept of bringing popular tribute bands to the resort in a winter series at the PAC.
“Based on some of the success of the mayor’s concerts, we want to promote an O.C. Tribute Tour,” he said. “These are relatively low-cost bands. It would allow the hotels to book group tour business. There could also be alternatives for the nonprofits to get involved.”
As far as the Broadway Down the Ocean proposal goes, each year TEAM Productions and Bob Rothermel produce a series of special events for the town and the Broadway shows and tribute tour would be an extension of that. Rothermel said during the tourism commission meeting last week he has had some cursory discussions with some of the shows and acts proposed for the PAC next offseason, but he was waiting for some direction from the tourism commission and, ultimately the Mayor and Council, before pulling the trigger.
“We’re talking about Broadway shows like Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, maybe a Peppa the Pig children’s show, a couple of comedians,” he said last week. “They are all on hold waiting. I just need some direction.”
The tourism commission last week forwarded a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and Council for the proposed winter special events. After hearing the pitch on Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to approve the events. Perlozzo said time was of the essence for approval of the special events this summer, fall and winter.
“Our position is we need to get this information on a calendar,” he said. “We need to get our contracts in place. We need to get our hotels to promote these events. Time is somewhat of an issue, but we’re prepared to get up and go.”
Mayor Rick Meehan agreed.
“It’s January 18,” he said. “We need to get out our calendar of events. Time is marching quickly. I think you’ve put together a calendar that is excellent and if it’s doable with our city staff.”
