Spring break not what it used to be in Havasu
BY MICHAEL HAYS
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 10:11 PM MST
The local consensus for spring break 2007 appears to be wait and see.
In 1995, MTV put Lake Havasu City on the national radar for college-aged adults looking for a place to party and unwind.
Jarrod Lyman of the Convention and Visitors Bureau said spring break attendance has declined since the mid-'90s MTV bash, which showcased pop culture personalities like Jenny McCarthy and Will Smith.
As for 2007, much is up in the air, Lyman said.
“It's hard to quantify. The one thing different about college students than family vacationers is that college kids have freedom that vacationers might not have,” he said.
Revelers tend to make their plans late, so it's hard to gauge interest other than week-to-week observations, Lyman said. He also noted that domestic travel is up because of new passport regulations connected to traveling out of the country.
Nevertheless, if one adds up all of the official spring-break weeks, its total economic impact is equal to a big holiday such as Memorial Day, July Fourth or Labor Day, Lyman said.
Beginning this Sunday, the first round of college students will head to mostly warm-weather destinations around the globe. Arizona State University, University of Arizona, University of Southern California and University of Nevada, Las Vegas are a few populous schools taking vacations from March 11 to 18.
Several local hotels are hoping students are simply procrastinating on their getaway plans. Reservations are down from recent years, said Island Inn Hotel manager Leo Biasiucci. They were running about 60 to 70 percent full as of Monday.
“The last two years, it has taken a hit,” Biasiucci said.
Jim Compton, a manager with the Hampton Inn, said the weekend of Friday the 16th is starting to fill out.
Although the Hampton expects to pick up some last-minute college students, he acknowledged the lessening local impact since 1995.
“MTV did bring in larger crowds ... each year it seems it drops down a little,” he said.
Unlike some of his competitors, Windsor Inn owner Jay Patel doesn't buy the notion spring breakers habitually book last minute.
Compared to 2006, he is down about 20 percent for room reservations. However, the weekend of March 23 is looking up for his place of lodging, he said.
Patel said the city is not getting its name out to the masses in the right way.
“The city has to promote this town as a tourist town,” he said, adding that more activities for young people would entice vacationing crowds.
Fellow hotel operators he has spoken to say reservations are low this year.
Patel thinks having MTV back in Lake Havasu City wouldn't be a bad thing.
“Why not? If that brings in revenue,” he said.
Shop owners are hoping for a robust spring break, but also are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Jean Krahenbuhl, a manager with Beachcomber's, on Swanson Avenue, said March and April typically are his two strongest sales months. The store sells a wide variety of summer apparel: board shorts, walking shorts, bathing suits, sandals, sunglasses and hats.
Bombora Beachwear peddles similar merchandise, but is closer to the water. Manager Debra Kramer said a few new flip-flops made by Reef should sell well this year.
One version comes equipped with a bottle opener, while others have credit card and key holders. Another version comes with a flask.
Krahenbuhl can understand why students from colder parts of the country look for a warm escape, having just come from Chicago last weekend.
“With as cold as the rest of the country is, it's beautiful here,” she said.
Other school schedules include:
March 18-25 - University of Utah; Northern Arizona University; New Mexico State University
? March 22-28 - University of California, Davis; University of California, Los Angeles
? March 25-April 1 - University of Southern California, Riverside; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Irvine
? April 1-8 - California State University, Fresno
You may contact the reporter at hays@havasunews.com.
Doesnt look like they factor in people renting houses, students/famalies that already have vacation houses or know someone who does. Im sure that plays a big roll in this as well. I for one hope its because all the guys go to Cancun and the women come to us...
It appears that the business people in town want the spring breakers and their dollars. It seems that the city does anything it can to discourage them from coming
It appears that the business people in town want the spring breakers and their dollars. It seems that the city does anything it can to discourage them from coming
BINGO ! ! LHC gives up so much revenue during this 6 week break. Amazing ! ! !
After the pictures that I think "Shaken not Stirred" posted last year with the big bunch of assbites standing in beer cans so thick that you couldnt take a step, well, I hope they dont come back. AND with a trash can right in the middle of the group, I hope somepne has those pic's to post them again to refresh our memory. BTW there was not a boat with in 50 feet of them either so dont blame the boaters Lake Havasu City
Around here, and I believe it's still called the same thing, was a program called "SPURS"... which, whenever there were big events such as a fair, rodeo, air show, concerts, what have you, this group would come out either during or after and pick up trash, beer cans, and everything else as far as litter goes. I'd see crews of them all the time cleaning creek bottoms, along roads and other places. What this group was were non-violent people in trouble with the law and they got to work off their time by doing this daily or on weekends... Basically having free clean up crews instead of them sitting it out in jail. Naturally there was a deputy in charge of each crew to watch over everything...
Ah the memories...
I was in the sauna at the gym last night and there were 2 18 year olds in there talking about how they are going to "wh0re it up" in Havasu sometime in March.And how they wish MTV was going to be there.
Maybe I am getting old but the idea of thousands of non-river aware disrespectful college kids does not thrill me.
After the pictures that I think "Shaken not Stirred" posted last year with the big bunch of assbites standing in beer cans so thick that you couldnt take a step, well, I hope they dont come back. AND with a trash can right in the middle of the group, I hope somepne has those pic's to post them again to refresh our memory. BTW there was not a boat with in 50 feet of them either so dont blame the boaters Lake Havasu City
This is true, you have peeps like this where ever you go, I remember just the other day a group of peeps meeting in town for a get together and left a parking lot a mess. Cast the first stome/not in my house. Go figure
I was in the sauna at the gym last night and there were 2 18 year olds in there talking about how they are going to "wh0re it up" in Havasu sometime in March.
Maybe I am getting old but the idea of thousands of non-river aware disrespectful college kids does not thrill me.
Did you give them my phone #????:devil:
Maybe I am getting old but the idea of thousands of non-river aware disrespectful college kids does not thrill me.
Exactly. MTV is what brought out all of the losers that everyone complains about so why would anyone want that back to bring in more losers is beyond me.....
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