Long Beach: Quiksilver tourney's a success

The Quiksilver Pro New York surfing competition started three days late and ended six days early, and Tropical Storm Irene forced the cancellation of the festival and concerts that were supposed to accompany the event held in Long Beach this month.

Still, city officials and local businesses said they generally were satisfied with the short-lived economic boost.

"I think the contest was definitely a success in Long Beach," said David Lipka, manager of Sutton Place Great American Bar & Grille. "We definitely had an influx of people."

Lipka said the event drew customers to the bar who otherwise would never have gone there. The bar hosted local bands and a DJ each night of the competition, he said.

Some local businesses welcomed the extra customers, but said they were disappointed by the cancellation of the festival.

"I hope if they do it next year, the city gets its act together and lets it be to the large scale that it was supposed to be," said Charles Christensen, owner of Duke Falcon's Global Grill, who had a special takeout menu and stocked up on extra beverages for the event.

Christensen said he is usually booked solid during Labor Day weekend, but his regular customers stayed away because they were leery of crowds and the prospect of parking difficulties during the surfing contest.

"The Labor Day weekend was busy, but Labor Day weekend is always busy," Christensen said. "My numbers were about the same as every other year." He said there were surfers at the restaurant, but not as many of his regulars.

The surfing competition with its $1 million prize purse ran from Sept. 4 to 9; it originally was scheduled to run nearly two weeks. Only four days were spent on the contest, as Hurricane Katia created 6- to 8-foot waves as it moved north far out to sea.

It was the first Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour event held on the East Coast.

More than 100,000 people, including repeat spectators, were on the beach during those five days, Quiksilver spokeswoman Jodi Wilmott and city officials said.

Long Beach officials are working on a study analyzing the economic impact of the competition and hope to have results soon, City Manager Charles T. Theofan said.

"We feel the event was a success, and have received positive comments from the business community," he said.

Wilmott, whose company is doing its own economic impact study, said in July that Quiksilver had agreed to host the competition at Long Beach for three years, but city officials deny there was any such contract. Wilmott referred questions about the length of the contract to another Quiksilver spokesperson, who did not respond.

"All I can say is that I would very much love to see Quiksilver return, and I believe they would like to come back next year and for several years to follow," Theofan said.