As the 2012 Labor Day weekend drew to a close under cloudy skies, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association reported a somewhat gloomy financial picture at its traditional season’s end review.
Operating income of $3,164,000 fell $39,000 short of operating expenses. Contributions to the choir festival, Camp Meeting week and other special events were down by $24,500 over last year. And ticket sales to the Saturday night entertainment programs experienced an especially severe drop. They totaled 20,347, compared to 27,588 in 2011, a 26 percent decline that resulted in the lowest profit margin in eleven years.
Dr. Dale Whilden, CMA president, attributed the fall off in Saturday night attendance to competition from new entertainment outlets in the surrounding area, particularly Asbury Park. The loss of revenues when Johnny Mathis cancelled his August 11 appearance was another factor. Whilden added, “And the economy has got to be a part of this.”
On the bright side, as of Aug. 20 beach revenues had outpaced expenses $928,000 to $760,000. Beach profits, however, cannot be used to defray operating losses.
More than 100 people attended the meeting, which was held this year in the Youth Temple rather than its customary venue, the Bishop Janes Tabernacle. In another change from past years, the meeting was closed to the media.
“This meeting is targeted for supporters,” Ralph del Campo, interim chief operating officer, told this Blogfinger reporter before the meeting began. I was invited to sit in, but told not to report. He explained that people were under the false impression that the CMA was a public entity, which has not been the case since it was a municipality running Ocean Grove, a role now occupied by Neptune Township. He noted that as a religious organization the CMA is not obligated to make its sessions public. There was no explanation for why the change was suddenly enacted. In fact, Blogfinger has covered the meeting in past years. “We’re not trying to hide anything,” Whilden chimed in.
The change in policy was not announced during the meeting, and Bonnie Graham, a reporter for the Coaster, took notes throughout. Graham was unaware of the no-reporting rule until I made an issue of it during the questions and comments session that concluded the meeting. I asked that the CMA reconsider its policy in the interest of openness. Graham also objected to the rule against media reporting, and afterward said she was shocked and mystified. Trustees apparently were not aware of the decision either. “What’s that all about?” one asked me.
On another subject, Joan Caputo spoke for Ocean Grove United, a gay advocacy organization that has often been at odds with the CMA, most recently over the appearance of actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron, the author of harsh anti-gay remarks. After an OGU protest, Whilden and other CMA officials met with a group from the organization to hear their concerns. Caputo thanked them for having “in many ways opened their hearts and taken the time to meet with us, to listen and to share. Let the dialogue continue.” She made her remarks available to Blogfinger.
CMA Trustee Douglas E. Arpert responded to a questioner who asked the status of the North End development of condos, homes and a hotel. The CMA and a company called WAVE (Wesley Atlantic Village Enterprises) are co-developers. Arpert told Blogfinger they hope to conclude a redevelopment agreement with Neptune Township by the end of the year and to break ground in 2013.
After the meeting Del Campo and Whilden sat down with me to review the information that had been presented at the meeting, so that it could be included in this article.
In addition to financial news, they said that the search for a chief operating officer is nearing its conclusion. After an initial round of searching last year failed to produce a suitable candidate, the search was widened in the spring. The search committee received more than 30 resumes, and has narrowed the field to three, all men. The committee will conduct interviews in September and expects to name the new officer by year’s end.
In other statistics of interest, the most popular speakers this summer were Ravi Zakarias, who drew 2,900 Sunday morning worshippers this past Sunday, followed by Kirk Cameron, 2,300, and Tony Campolo, 2,058.
Neil Sedaka attracted the largest Saturday night crowd, 2,722, followed by Diana Krall, 2,470, and Michael W. Smith, 2,316.
Our quaintness, serenity, quietude……all have gone by the wayside. Ask anyone who has lived in OG a while. The changes and crowds are NOT what we moved here for. How can you obtain “spiritual growth” (CMA’s brochures) when you can’t maneuver around your own town; it’s overrun, with no consideration for the residents. And the type of people coming to OG are NOT coming for spiritual growth. They come to the beach for the day, (its a shorter ride than to Pt. Pleasant or Seaside), they leave their garbage on the curbs, scream at their children from a block away, have now taken to loud radios on the beach…… Interview just a handful of residents who have been here 5 years of more. You will get the eyes rolling and defeated head shaking.
Wisher asks “why” a lot.
It’s because the closer to the water, the greater the property value.
Kirk Cameron was a success on a freebie Sunday, but had significantly lower attendance for the ‘pay-for’ event on marriage that Friday.
Also, didn’t Anne Graham Lotz attract quite a few people (I enjoyed her sermon) and, despite the controversy, I do think Kirk Cameron was well attended on Sunday morning and would like to see him come back also!
Definitely would like to see Garrison Keillor come back again as I so enjoy his “Prairie Home Companion” show… and I understand the ABBA tribute band, “Arrival” will be returning next year to Ocean Grove on July 13, 2013 so mark your calendars now!
As an aside, how about having comedian Bob Newhart come to Ocean Grove? I think he is still performing and he may just attract a wide age range of people.
Just a thought…
I just hope the CMA ignores the developers, and asks the question: What will make tourists and home prospectors want to come to Ocean Grove, to visit and to buy? Answer that question with accuracy, and development and booking can proceed with education and information.
Developers will lie, and say how much visitors love everything crammed right up to the shoreline, which means sales profits for them right away. Long Branch shut their brains: stores, condos and eateries crammed near the water! How wonderful!
But OG, and AP, for that matter, needs to ask more critical questions. Here is a great and perfect question: Why can’t we have open space and parks, historical sites at the ocean area, and condos and stores more inland, but leave the area by the beach as open spaces, to make it different? Why can’t we attract people with a free and open area by the ocean, and also bring them inland for everything else, such as housing, shopping and everything else???? Isn’t this a great idea???
When developers bark, and complain that everything needs to be shoved right next to the sea, OG and AP needs to ask why???? Why???? WHY!!!!
No. OG and AP need to tell developers that they want whole development, not just seaside development, like AC, Seaside, Wildwood, and all of the other crammed-by-the-sea communities that have become lost in the shuffle.
Perhaps the CMA could build a large (4 story) pay parking garage as part of a reconfigured North End redevelopment (350 spaces or so). It would help with the parking situation and provide an enduring income stream for the CMA.
Just joking….but parking is an issue that needs to be addressed. I think there needs to be a remote lot with shuttle busses for GA events and other events like the Craft Show.
This is the 4th summer we’ve owned in OG and the acts were fairly uninteresting to my 50yo crowd of friends & my kids, who in prior years enjoyed the Beach Boys & ABBA. We did go to Wynonna and were very disappointed in the length of her show (at best 90 minutes) and her moaning & complaining about her mother. (I can imagine some of her remarks would put her on the ‘do not rebook’ list)
One act that was ridiculous to have was the B Street Band. You can see them at bars around the Shore all summer for far less than the CMA was charging. If they add a few more of the popular Christian Rock bands, that will fill up the place.
@gosh– Are you the only person besides me to try and stop this insane idea?
Also, people trolling for parking this past weekend for the craft show and doo wop concert were actually nasty, erratically driving out of panic and frustration, and and just plain abhorrent. I had a woman tell me she drove around for 35:00 and broke into tears and left! People! THERE IS NO PARKING FOR ANY MORE NEW IDEAS/EVENTS! Soon the visitors will say, “I’m not even going to try to go to Ocean Grove, there’s never any parking.” This year was the worst! Does the CMA give one iota about the residents?!?!?!
All these comments about the entertainment on Saturday and not one person has mentioned that we have inadequate parking in this town. Maybe that’s why there is a lack of filling the seats. You can’t put a gallon of milk in a quart container.
The one comment that I agree with is we need to band together to stop this North End monster from being built. Rateables and ground rent are going to destroy the integrity of this town. The N. End will be the death of Ocean Grove. Single family homes are the answer, not condo’s, and the OGHOA has done nothing to discourage this mess — matter of fact they approved 88 condos, so they’re no help.
I am adding a balcony to my home and I was told we want the balcony to look like it was always there, not to look like it was just built. Well, do you think 6 homes, 88 condos and a 99-room hotel is going to look like it was always there????? No, it will look like the Great Wall of China. It will shadow the area, compound parking to the max, the quality of life will be lost and many from the N. End will have no option other than to move.
The CMA can invite or dis-invite anyone they wish, of course, but they also can’t be surprised or dismayed that attendance is down when a big draw like Keillor is not performing. Other big draws like Arrival and The Beach Boys weren’t here either. When The Beach Boys were here last time fans were sitting in the street all the way back on Mt. Zion. The fact that Mathis was cancelled, with no replacement, hurt as well. Why not have someone like Southside or another popular local group on call to fill in? A dark house brings in no revenue. They also really need to stop bringing in acts better suited to AC daytrippers and advertise better. Why not work out some package deals, in-town prix fixe dinner and show, train to trolley to show, etc. It would cost twice the amount the CMA charged to see someone like Diana Krall in NYC or Philly; offer a package deal.
Well said, Paul.
Nancy. Of course you are correct. I was referring to the fact that Sousa, by virtue of something he said, was not allowed to perform in the Grove after that. It was an example of how someone, because of their “speech,” was punished by the CMA. Yet, the CMA was certainly not depriving him of his rights and they had every right to never invite him back again.
Similarly, in the Kirk Cameron situation, where some individuals wanted the CMA to disinvite him, if the CMA had cancelled his appearance, he could not claim that his right of free speech was denied. But he could have complained about intolerance in the Grove.
And as for Garrison Keiler, he was not inivited back by the CMA because of his “speech” but, once again, there was no denial of his freedom of speech either.
I hope this clarifies what I was talking about. Thank you for making that point.
Ridiculous that the meeting, which was open to the public, was considered “private.” Good for Mary to work with the OGCMA so the reporting could be used.
My husband attended the meeting and I was shocked to learn that the Sedaka concert only drew 2,722 people. The main floor was packed and even the balcony looked mostly filled. Do they base attendance on ticket sales or the number of seats occupied? Maybe some tickets are given away. Hard to believe, but I can assure you the auditorium was nearly filled.
Paul, Sousa wasn’t denied his right to free speech; no government official fined him, jail him, or otherwise shut him down. A private enterprise can use its discretion. Had the government stepped in to order that Sousa be allowed to perform, a constitutional freedom would have then been breached.
I live in Hopewell (when not in the Grove) and work for a consulting company with offices in Newtown, PA and Morristown, NJ. None of my neighbors or co-workers (well educated consulting types) have ever heard of Ocean Grove. That’s because there is no meaningful PR/branding done to promote the town. No wonder they don’t sell more tickets for the GA. I totally agree that this town needs to get with the times (why are we so focused on the 65+ year old set?), develop the brand (America’s premier Victorian seaside resort), and do some PR/image advertising (e.g., billboards, web, newspaper, magazines).
An aggressive branding campaign would increase visitors (yes, a mixed blessing), increase property values, help our merchants, and improve ticket sales to the GA (if they decide to cater to folks under 65 years old). Sounds like an investment worth making.
Brand. No other New Jersey shore community has the prize possession of brand to sell itself to the American pubic like this community. Loose the brand, lose it all. So what is the brand to attract investment and tourism? Victorian history, woman’s rights, gay and lesbian home rejuvenation and renewal, Christian peace, retreat and inspiration. THAT is a great and glorious brand. Wash that away, and good bye. Just another place.
The CMA should start to wake up to the fact that they are salesmen and saleswoman. Sell, or lose. What is the brand? The brand is the American dream that all can live peacefully, side-by-side. Sell, sell and sell, and save, save and save. Don’t miss the opportunity.
Sousa was dismissed from the Grove when he joked about Prohibition. The Grove was very strict about that, so John Phillip lost his freedom of speech here in 1926. He was never invited back, but his portrait still hangs in the museum of the HSOG.
OGrover. Thank you for keeping everybody honest as they wage war to see who can be the most offended. If all sides around here allowed everyone else to have free speech, it would be a beautiful thing.
If it’s true that Garrison Keillor wasn’t asked back because of content or a skit some found offensive, why then is it a mystery that some people found Cameron and his comments offensive? It’s about perspective. But then again, Sousa, the leader of the greatest music act of that generation was ‘banned’ for content as well at one time.
#1 The CMA can do the math and they don’t need help from annoying Grovers who relish any opportunity to complain about the Camp Meeting Association. Maybe the CMA is happy to get 2,700 people for Neil Sedaka. Other venues in the area are seeing a fall in attendance also. Why don’t you all give the Count Basie or the Axelrod some advice? Why don’t all you young hipsters give Neil a chance? –he loves you–
#2. If the CMA opens their Labor Day meeting to the public, then they have no justification to try and censure the press. They tried to discriminate against Blogfinger while allowing all sorts of blabbermouths to go home and repeat what they heard to their friends, their Facebook pages and even the Garden State Equality busy-bodies.
The CMA seems confused about what it wants to reveal to the outside world. If they want to keep secrets, then they have every right to shut their doors and have closed meetings for invited guests.
Bythesea,
The OGHOA has been very active in monitoring the north end development–in person at towhship meetings and through comprehensive written communication. Suggest you check out the organization’s website. Or better yet–why not attend the next OGHOA meeting, to be held in the CMA community room on Sept. 22 at 10:00AM. You will be most welcome!
Two points:
#1) Venues such as our very cool 5000-seat auditorium commonly use planning consultants who can help the venue owners optimize the use of the venue. Bigger name acts cost more, thus the tickets cost more, but how much more? What is the expected response curve to the pricing? What do the models say will be the ticket yield given anticipated other acts in other venues in the area? How do you take advantage of the fact we are near NYC and Philadelphia, where many big acts pass through? A consultant can help navigate all this. Building good ticket yield models is the key to success.
Related point: If the GA started hosting better known/more popular acts — like, for example, Heart, or even the Fab Faux (awesome, well known NY- based Beatles tribute band), the very act of marketing the GA for these performances would be an act of marketing for Ocean Grove. Ocean Grove is happening!!!! Thus, those who market the town should work with those who design the GA performance schedule.
#2) Where is the OGHOA on the North End Development? What stand have they taken relative to the abomination of a plan that now exists for the “redevelopment” of the North End? It is they who should be the champions in the fight against poor planning that will hurt the town. Do they just play a reactive game, or do they try to lead? Where is their position paper? Seems to me that this is by far the biggest issue on their plates for the next year.
I agree with Wisher, but apparently the CMA does not. What is the business model – a hotel without a liquor license holding religious events that no one will attend? They can’t even maintain attendance at Camp Meeting Week, so how are they going to fill a hotel?
As for Garrison Keillor, I’m sure he would rather perform where the sponsor lives in the 21st Century. Seriously, in the interest of transparency, I would like the CMA to provide their vision for Ocean Grove and their role in it given their new role as a developer. It’s a public issue. We need to know why we are going to suffer this increase in density, loss of space, and monumental inconvenience.
They banned Garrison Keillor over that? That’s ridiculous. I wonder how many complains were truly received. Perhaps a request to leave the ‘sperm joke’ out of his show during his next visit, rather than ban him completely, would have been a smart compromise.
1) The CMA budget for entertainment only seems to increase when “religious programming” is planned. You can’t be both. If you’re going to charge ridiculous prices for wooden chairs and call yourself an “entertainment” facility, then GET WITH IT! Your acts are old and tired!
2) Regarding the North End development and losing the view and ocean breezes — everyone’s going to have to stand together on this…. even if it means lying down on the ground and protesting with human bodies! People, gear up for a fight! We don’t want it! Only we can stop it. We stopped the housing of institutionalized all on our own — not Fox TV, not the State, not the County. Let’s band together and protect that part of our town from developing!
I must say I am a bit dismayed at the CEO’s off-putting comment: “This meeting is for supporters.” During my 25+ years living in Ocean Grove I only attended the CMA Labor Day meeting a few times and always felt welcomed. One year I asked what the plans were to replace the washed away boardwalk and got a very comprehensive answer from the Operations Chairman. I hope the Trustees will recognize their duty to establish policy and encourage the various CMA Officers to not unnecessarily discourage public participation in the traditional Labor Day meeting. And by-the way, what is a supporter? I have paid my Ground Rent annually and attend Sat. night shows …..does that qualify me? Or is there a minimum “Contribution” required?
Disappointed ken.
I think the CMA has an impulse to think something like, “We are private, not public, and we are just land owners who only have an obligation to ‘supporters.'” It might be practically more useful to ask, “How can we help?” rather than, “What are we free to do without any constraints?” In other words, I think they approach their organization like a lawyer would, rather than in a practical way, or a way that seeks to grasp responsibility, rather than argue that they don’t have much because legally, Ocean Grove is actually Neptune Township. And without sounding preachy, when you look to your relationship to others, and you are a religious organization, the answers are in the words of the prayers of St. Francis, in my opinion.
The CMA is at its best when it cooperates, and to me, only seems to have difficulty with lawyer-thought, or turning to lawyers for answers. Lawyers protect, good organizations cooperate and communicate.
Open spaces and vistas and breezes for the North End. The developers impulse for stores, restaurants and money will ruin it. People can go to Long Branch for that, with better parking and easier driving access. Cars will drive to Long Branch for restaurants and stores, and will only drive to Ocean Grove for a unique, historical and super-relaxing time.
After performing to large crowds in the Great Auditorium for several years, Garrison Keillor was not invited back. The reason given by Scott Hoffman and Dale Whilden at the time was that there had been objections from some audience members to a comedy skit that Keillor and his sound effects man performed. Said skit reenacted the journey of the male sperm on its mission to fertilize a female egg.
So you could sit in but not report? Wow. Now I guess CMA thinks censorship is OK. It is not. Shame on CMA.
Absolutely CMA must rethink its choice of summer concert performers. Enough already with the older square performers. A poll/suggestion box run by Blogfinger as to suggested performers is a great idea. CMA should aim for an audience in their 30’s, not their 70’s.
There is a lot more to be concerned about than the entertainment. The North End project will be a disaster for Ocean Grove, and only a determined, forceful effort to scale it back may prevent some of the damage.
i too would like to know who WAVE is..any ideas?
Have to believe the dull entertainment choices + heat/humidity in the non-airconditioned GA + limited parking options in OG have lessened the appeal of OG’s Saturday night offerings. Just not worth the time and money.
I also agree that the acts need to improve. Enough with doo wop. Once a summer is enough. Diana Krall was the best. She was the only performer who was not a has-been. Wynona Judd could not even pull in an audience.
CMA needs to evaluate its Saturday night acts for relevance and interest.
OGCMA, Can we please get better entertainment? Rumor has it both Garrision Keillor and the ABBA-esque troupe shows were axed by the previous OGCMA administration, which was a foolish decision because both of these shows were always well-attended. Also so many old singing groups. No disrespect intended, but the audiences for the 1950-60’s acts are slowly dying off, literally.
There are 6,200+ seats at the Great Auditorium. The top seller, Mr. Sedaka, only filled 43% of the Auditorium…. and it went downhill from there. Time for some fresh ideas!
Blogfinger, maybe you should run a poll or suggestion box of some sort to see who your readers want to see at the Auditorium. And send the results to the OGCMA Administrators and their Entertainment Director. Somethin’s gotta change…..
One hopes that any North End development will include comprehensive density and enviromental impact studies as well as traffic flow and parking plans to one of the least accessible areas of Ocean Grove. By the way, who and what are WAVE? Has anyone ever discovered the particulars?
Perhaps next years entertainment line-up could include a few more contemporary artists which might boost attendance AND revenue. Having the opening act playing for free down the road the next day didn’t help much either.