Cedar Rapids RAGBRAI Organizers Ask City for $25,000 to Cover Shortfall

Patch covered RAGBRAI all week long this year, and had a booth at Cedar Rapids "Survivin' the Ride" event, which was one of the largest during the week of RAGBRAI.

You might wonder: how much did in Cedar Rapids, which drew 20,000 people, cost to put on?

Around $400,000. That's nearly $200,000 for the stage and entertainment, $100,000 for insurance, seating and video screens, $40,000 for police and transportation and $50,000 for marketing, fund-raising and portable toilets.

Plus, another 700 people volunteered to put on the event on July 26 and 27.

But the Cedar Rapids RAGBRAI Advisory and Executive Committees said in a news release that they've come up $25,000 short of their expenses, so they're asking Cedar Rapids for help.

They've proposed that Cedar Rapids divert $25,000 from its hotel-motel tax fund to cover the cost, which they say was recouped several times over.

“I am proud of our city. RAGBRAI was a great way to show off Cedar Rapids to thousands of people across the country and around the world,” said Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett. “Our community profited in a variety of ways. From the server at a local restaurant that made $185 in an hour and a half in tips, to filling rooms at our local hotels, to riders visiting our local attractions, businesses and nonprofit vendor booths, there are endless examples. I believe our investment in the RAGBRAI events was worth every penny.”

Check back with Marion Patch to see how this proposal pans out.