Room for improvement
The City and County thump for tourists, but where will they stay?
On August 6, officials from the City, County and Virginia Department of Transportation broke ground on the long-awaited Court Square renovation project, designed to attract tourists to the 150-year-old historic area north of the Downtown Mall. Not discussed that morning was the prospect that incoming visitors might struggle to locate a room in town to rest their bones after they tour all the sights. Even as the upcoming installation of brick streets and historic markers represents Charlottesville’s push to increase tax dollars generated by visitors—tourists added $10 million to City and County coffers in 2001—area hotel occupancy rates remain extremely high. And that’s intentional.
"Our philosophy on tourism is a little different in terms of our mission," says Mark Shore, Director of the Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We’re looking to draw the visitor who will spend more money instead of bringing in masses of people to spend the same amount. This way we could bring in 100,000 visitors in place of 300,000."
One way of regulating that is to keep the number of hotel rooms down. During peak event seasons, including UVA alumni reunions and football games, weddings, and the changing of the leaves, local hotels are chock-full, practically hanging "No Vacancy" signs on the front door come check-in time on Friday. Not only that, occupancy rates continue to climb in the greater Charlottesville area—75.3 percent last May. Comparably sized Athens, Georgia had a 63.1 percent occupancy rate during the same period.
"During the weekends in general," says Rick Butts, director of sales at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel on the Downtown Mall, "we’re very, very full. And on a football weekend, we’re completely booked."
According to Shore, within the last five to seven years, most U. S. cities have seen a 40 percent to 50 percent increase in general construction, while Charlottesville has seen a construction growth rate of no more than 2.5 percent per year. It means the City and County endeavor to nab new visitors while avoiding extensive development. With 1,753 rooms in Charlottesville and 1,394 in Albemarle, the challenge to find available lodgings is as much a local tradition as the Jefferson cup.
"We consistently have people calling frantically searching for a room," says Jean-Francois Legault, managing director of the bed and breakfast Clifton—The Country Inn. "And during the fall season, we have no rooms available.
"Putting on my event-planner hat, I can tell you that trying to block rooms for an event is the hardest task in my job, even 10 months out."
The City and County’s stance on designated growth areas hasn’t been the only sticking point in unlocking more hotel rooms. Shore says the lodging difficulties stem in part from large-scale hotel chains’ lack of interest.
"The amount of available land is either too scarce or too pricey for your typical limited-service property," says Shore, explaining that limited-service hotels—such as the Ramada on 250E—don’t currently offer full-service restaurants, conference rooms and other varied amenities.
Hope for beleaguered boarders could come in the future from two hotels rumored to be in the works, one at the much-debated Hollymead Town Center and another at an unknown site on Pantops. But with no concrete starting plans, for now the room occupancy rates remain fixed—a prospect that might please those who worry about the high costs of tourism to the area, anyway.
"With the increase of tourists, yes, we do face additional traffic and water usage," says Shore. "But in terms of an economic benefactor, tourism is considered one of the cleanest."—Kathryn E. Goodson
Class act
Experts weigh in on how to cure the back-to-school blues
This week, some 17,000 public school students will begin classes in Albemarle and Charlottesville public schools. Many will be nervous about new classes and teachers. Many will also be nervous about gel pens and sneakers. Cathryn Harding met recently with City guidance counselors Lynne Coleman and Atalaya Sergi to discuss kids’ and parents’ feelings at this time of year and how they can smooth the transition. An edited transcript of the interview follows.
Cathryn Harding: What are kids going through as summer ends and the school bus pulls up to the corner?
Atalaya Sergi: Their feelings vary. Some are excited to come back to school and some would rather sleep in.
Is it a comfort for kids to return to routine?
Lynne Coleman: Developmentally, doing the predictable things helps them to be comfortable. They’re dealing with so much more than just coming back to school. During the summer the body has changed, the voice may have changed.
Sergi: Getting back on a regular schedule of going to bed at a certain time and getting their backpacks ready and picking out clothes for school is important. A lot of kids are dealing with "Am I going to be with my friends? Will I know anybody in my class?"
How long does the anxiety last before the rewards of routine kick in?
Sergi: After the first two weeks, most of them are settled.
During these two weeks, what behavior are parents seeing at home?
Sergi: One thing that comes to mind is difficulty sleeping. For the younger kids, maybe some bad dreams. They’re probably going to be a little more on edge. They might not be as nice to their siblings as usual.
Coleman: In the transition from elementary to middle school, the kids begin to analyze self more. "How do I look? How do I talk?" They begin to think more in terms of group acceptance. We see it again in the transition from middle school to high school: "How do I fit in?"
In other words, you’re talking about a lot of sullen, withdrawn behavior.
Coleman: Yes, they have stuff on their minds.
What’s a parent supposed to do to help?
Sergi: Whether your child comes to you and asks or says nothing at all, just talk to them. Kids who have moved schools—talk to them about how they made friends at their old school. Especially at middle school age, they probably will not come to their parent and say, "I’m afraid." Talk to your kids whether they ask questions or not.
What are some of the back-to-school rituals that can break the tension?
Sergi: School shopping and getting set up for school again. If they have a place in the house where they usually do their homework and they had stuff set up there, get that place set back up. Talk about how the after-school schedule will work. And let them within reason pick out what they want for school. If they feel like they need a special backpack and it’s within the budget, let them get some of the things they think they need.
If they want to have a purple notebook or a certain glue stick or pens, who cares? It’s important to them. It shouldn’t be a problem for parents if they want purple and not blue. It makes the kids feel more confident about coming back to school and being accepted by their friends.
What are the parents going through?
Coleman: At each stage, parents have a certain level of stress. My recommendation is the parents do a tour of the school. See how it feels. There’s only so much you can gather from the papers sent home. The fears that set in are usually so much worse than the reality.
Sergi: I would tell the kids, help your parents out by giving them a hug. Let them know it will be all right!
Changing their tune
With typical humor, Pep Band supporters refuse to bow out
They came out about 30 strong in orange vests. Some wore pigtails or West Virginia hats. One dressed in a fur coat and Viking helmet. Though they would never admit it, members of the University of Virginia Pep Band, who as a self-described scramble band distinguish themselves from a marching band with their controversial comedy routines, were marching into battle.
The occasion was a midday press conference in front of the Rotunda, on Saturday, August 23, to announce the formation of an alumni support group, Friends of the Virginia Pep Band, Inc. On the other side of the famously domed building, the University’s golden students—those honored with rooms on The Lawn—busied themselves with moving into their new digs. The beleaguered Pep Band stood in sharp contrast, but appeared no less determined to assert its legacy at UVA. The 30-year-old band represents "a tradition venerable for the last generation," said keynote speaker Frank Block, one of its charter members. "Not quite as venerable as the building behind us, but we’re catching up."
Indeed, as a "public Ivy," UVA—and its Pep Band—had been in line with prestigious schools like Harvard and Princeton that regularly lampoon themselves and their cordial adversaries through skits, silly music and other tasteless hilarity. Hasty pudding, anyone? But as officials at UVA have strenuously worked in recent years to improve the University’s ACC profile by building up sports programs and generating buzz about promising recruits, it was inevitable that the Pep Band would fall out of favor for something more sober—like a marching band.
The FVPB’s goal is to raise $50,000 for the Pep Band by the end of the year largely through the support of alumni and former members. Ed Hardy, FVPB vice president for fundraising and public relations, presented Pep Band Director Scott Hayes with a check Saturday in the amount of $23.50. "Hopefully the size of the check will make up for the lack of money," Hardy quipped.
Not that the amount of the donation was incidental. In April, UVA announced that $1.5 million of Carl and Hunter Smith’s $23.5 million donation to the school would fund a marching band. Accordingly, the Pep Band would no longer be welcome to play at University athletic events.
Though the band remains a campus organization and continues to receive funding from the school, the split with the Athletics Department limited their performance options (now they can only set up their instruments in the parking lot, for instance) and cut off funding for travel and lodging, says FVPB President Dave Black. According to him, the alumni group seeks to preserve the Pep Band and to co-exist with the marching band, which will boast 200 members under the direction of William E. Pease, formerly of Western Michigan University. "We are not asking UVA to reverse its decision to start a marching band," said Black. "Although many Pep Band supporters cringe at the thought of a ‘UVA marching band’ at Scott Stadium, FVPB recognizes the University’s desire to strengthen UVA’s performing arts program."
"Performance" is at the core of the Pep Band’s problems, namely their half time parody at last year’s Continental Tire Bowl. That match-up reunited UVA with West Virginia University, whose fans still held an 18-year grudge against the UVA band over a "Family Feud" skit performed the last time the two teams met. The Pep Band’s half-time performance last December 28 spoofed the television show "The Bachelor" and featured a West Virginian girl in pigtails and overalls. The skit prompted West Virginia Governor Bob Wise to write to University President John T. Casteen demanding an apology. Casteen complied.—Ben Sellers