Oktoberfest considers move from Holiday

Inn to new facility

Heritagefest also in talks to obtain operation of

Oktoberfest

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Oktoberfest could be moved across town to the new ice rink/exhibition hall facility in 2002.

Rick Newman, general manager at Holiday Inn of New Ulm, said the hotel is exploring the possibility of turning over the annual celebration to another organization.

Although Holiday Inn has run the event during two successive weekends in October for nearly 20 years, the hotel only breaks even on food, drink and entertainment, Newman said.

"The only place we make money is the rooms," he said. "Maybe a non-profit (organization) could make it work better."

Hugh Nierengarten, Heritagefest president, said Heritagefest has begun negotiations with Emmett Erpelding -- an original developer of Holiday Inn -- to obtain Oktoberfest. Nierengarten said it would not be a financial transaction.

"It is far from a done deal," Nierengarten said. "There is no money changing hands."

Nonetheless, Nierengarten is enthusiastic about the possibility of operating Oktoberfest.

"This is a good fit for us," he said. "I think the board has indicated, with the new recreation facility, it would be something where we would be interested."

Kathleen Backer, who will become Heritagefest associate director in April, agreed that the timing is right for the two separate events to be operated by one organization.

"There is so much similarity in putting on a festival," she said. "Because we have experience and expertise, it's a matter of gearing up and planning for it."

City voters approved a half-cent city sales tax last November. Revenue from that tax will pay for the construction of an $8 million ice rink/exhibition hall facility at the Brown County Fairgrounds, along with other projects.

Construction on the facility, which will have two ice sheets, is slated to begin this October and could be done before Oktoberfest 2002. Although one ice sheet is generally referred to as a 'year-round rink,' it likely will be taken out for large events like the Brown County Fair or Heritagefest.

Newman said the large facility, with two exhibition halls, could support a larger crowd and open more floor space for dancing.

"Our viewpoint is, why not, if it can be done in a larger facility," he said. "If we get any negative comments out here, it's that there is not enough room for dancing."

Also, the fairgrounds site also could draw a younger crowd that has not previously experienced Oktoberfest at the Holiday Inn, Newman said.

The Holiday Inn already allocates some of its festival duties to non-hotel employees. For instance, Leo Berg, Heritagefest executive director, lines up all the music events for Oktoberfest.

If the festival is moved, Newman said the Holiday Inn would use shuttle buses to move patrons along the four-mile trek to the exhibition hall.

"We'll still sell our 126 rooms with much less effort and less (financial) risk," he said.

Under no circumstances does Newman want to see Oktoberfest dissolve.

"That would be silly," he said. "We certainly want to be part of it, one way or another, to help it grow."

If a separate organization took over the festival and struggled financially at the exhibition hall, Newman said Holiday Inn would likely regain control of the event and bring it back to the hotel.

Jeanne Albrecht, president of the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce, said her primary goal is to bring people to town for the two weekends of Oktoberfest.

"We will work with whoever takes over the event, if that happens," Albrecht said.

If Oktoberfest moves to the exhibition hall, Albrecht said the Chamber will discontinue its smaller festival in the downtown area on Minnesota Street.

"It would be one event," Albrecht said. "We wouldn't be broke into two different venues."

The Chamber board discussed the possibility of gaining control of Oktoberfest, but decided against it, Albrecht said.

"We are not in the festival business," she said.

Newman feels it is important that the community have a stake in Oktoberfest. If there are fewer-than-needed volunteers or no other concurring festivals in town, the event would struggle, according to Newman.

This year's Oktoberfest anticipates an exceptionally large crowd, Newman believes. A new Microtel hotel is under construction a block from the Holiday Inn. Newman said the 63 rooms in that hotel will probably be filled with Oktoberfest enthusiasts.

In addition, the Holiday Inn plans for a stronger push on radio advertising this fall to generate day-trip visitors for Oktoberfest.