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Bug Jam gives honest numbers

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 25, 2009

I'm contacting you in response to the article in Wednesday's Tribune about the Tourist Development Council's funding of events and particularly the Pasco Bug Jam. As a former Tribune reporter, I would have thought you would have contacted Bug Jam officials for comment before printing the claims by Pasco County Commissioner Michael Cox. No attempts were made to do such.

If you had, I could have told you how we come up with the figures. And, as for the statement about the lack of hotel rooms in east Pasco, perhaps officials could go on the Bug Jam Web site and see the number of hotels listed (as well as on our 10,000 fliers) in east Pasco - anyone ever hear of Wesley Chapel or Zephyrhills?

There are nine motels listed for Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills that offer special Bug Jam rates. Those nine motels have a total of 644 rooms each day. In past years, these motels have been booked full for the entire Bug Jam weekend.

People come from around the world to attend and they make it a two- or three-day event. Many plan their vacations around the Bug Jam. My computer program can generate a report from where all the people come - most of the 500-plus show entries are not from Pasco County. We even give an award for the entry that comes the furthest - last year it was Alaska.

There also are VW new and used parts vendors that come from out of county and state. And I call the motels after the event to see how many Bug Jammers they had. If the Tourist Development Council wants us to give them hotel receipts from each person at each motel, they should say so. We do document the information they request.

This year's numbers may be down because of the economy, although the entries are running about the same as last year. But the statements were made on last year's Bug Jam and that was again a record-breaking year. It is the largest VW show in the Southeast and second largest in the country, according to hot VWs magazine, a California-based magazine that is considered "the Bible" to VW fans.

This may be a one-day event but until Commissioner Cox attends, I do not believe he should be tarnishing the Bug Jam name by basically calling us liars. I resent this because I am an honest person and we take every effort to comply with all that the TDC requests.

If Chasco Fiesta only generates 125 beds (which I believe in past years they have claimed more than that), why do they get $12,224, more money than any other event? I know it is an 11-day event but isn't it true that the majority of the people come for one day and are from Pasco or Pinellas counties? In comparison, the Pasco County Fair, a seven-day event, gets only $2,624. But, of course, it is in east Pasco - oh yes, the county seat, but most don't know that!

There have even been TDC members that have been associated with events requesting funding and even one that voiced her personal opinions about rodeos when deciding how much to give the Pasco County Fair that hosts a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association rodeo in conjunction with the fair. The rodeo draws competitors from across the country and spectators from outside of Pasco.

The Bug Jam is put on by the nonprofit Pasco County Fair Association Inc., and proceeds go to All Children's Hospital and other nonprofit organizations. We are a 501(c)(3) organization that doesn't get funding from the state or county, with the exception of the TDC money that has to be spent on advertising outside of Pasco.

Carol Jeffares Hedman of San Antonio is the Bug Jam coordinator and a correspondent for The Pasco Tribune.

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