A city team seeking the All-America City designation skips the gaudy spectacles of some competitors.
By JENNIFER FARRELL
Published June 12, 2004
[AP photo]
Clearwater's Walter Boykin, with Kellis Glenn and Vice Mayor Frank Hibbard, delivers the city's pitch to judges of the All-America City competition Friday in Atlanta. In contrast to others with costumes and cheerleaders, the spirit of the presentation was, "We built this city on common sense."
ATLANTA - One contingent from Connecticut marched off the stage waving flags and singing about their city to the tune of God Bless America.
Other delegations paraded cheerleaders, uniformed cricket players and firefighters in bunker gear. One included a woman in a tall, feathered headdress. Another brought a sombrero-clad mariachi band.
Clearwater officials offered none of those diversions Friday to try to convince judges that the city deserves to be named an All-America City.
In khaki pants and royal blue golf shirts, the 21-member team focused on Clearwater's Hispanic Outreach Center, a sweeping revitalization of a historically black neighborhood and a library reading program. The earnest, 10-minute presentation was partly designed by a city intern.
Unmentioned: The problem-plagued Memorial Causeway bridge now under construction and the dominant presence of the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters.
The group finished seconds under the wire, shouting, "Baseball, beaches and jazz. We're so much more than that."
Clearwater is one of 30 cities competing to become an All-America City, a sought-after honor awarded by the National Civil League. The century-old nonprofit hands out 10 of those awards every year. The 2004 winners will be announced at 6 p.m. today at a ceremony at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
Clearwater applied this year for the first time. It hopes to use the designation in its marketing and economic development programs.
After their performance Friday, which included 10 minutes of questions from jurors, the Clearwater team left the ballroom and high-fived in the lobby.
"I think we're going to do this on the substance of what we're talking about," said Doug Matthews, the city's public communications director. "Good to see you guys come out there and absolutely nail it. It was awesome."
Since 1949, more than 4,000 cities have competed, with nearly 500 cities from all but two states winning. Pinellas County was chosen in 1966, St. Petersburg in 1972 and Tampa in 1990. Cleveland, Ohio, and Worcester, Mass., have each won five times.
On Sunday, winners and finalists can attend a seminar on marketing themselves.
While Clearwater was a rookie in the competition, it faced several veteran entries. Deerfield Beach, a city of 65,000 on Florida's east coast, has been to the contest three times without a win.
This year the city sent 70 people and a drum corps.
In matching Hawaiian shirts.
At an orientation-cum-pep rally Thursday night, one organizer warned the crowd not to feel bad about losing: "Very few communities come in and knock the ball out of the park the first time."
In fact, a common refrain among competitors swapping city pins - a la the Olympics - was, "We're all winners."
And, for the most part, everyone was ardently friendly.
"Everybody's so positive. Everybody's good-hearted," said Clearwater's Elizabeth France. "You can just see the happiness. And the warmth just flows out."
All in all, though, Clearwater seemed confident after a look at its rivals.
Palm Bay, a city on Florida's east coast, drew scoffs and rolled eyes after chanting, thunderously - and repeatedly: "Who's in the house? Palm Bay's in the house."
The group took the stage Friday, more than 100 strong, with a jazz band and uniformed police, one with white gloves and a whistle. Cheerleaders in short black skirts did cartwheels down the aisle. On stage, they clutched pom-poms and perched precariously near the edge during their routines. Two people in giant fish costumes stood at the rear.
Clearwater watched from the audience.
"They don't scare me a bit," said Micah Maxwell, the city manager's office intern who coordinated Clearwater's first-time entry. "All flash."
"Weak," announced Vice Mayor Frank Hibbard after another group left the stage.
Clearwater, Matthews said, is all about substance.
"Our whole goal in this was to be understated and professional," he said. "To represent Clearwater and the way we do business."
By awkward coincidence, Palm Bay and Pembroke Pines both selected the annoyingly catchy 1985 Starship anthem, We Built This City, to accompany their presentations, a puzzling decision given the song's recent naming by Blender magazine as worst song ever.
Both cities changed the lyrics to fit their respective visions.
Palm Bay "built this city on heart and soul;" while Pembroke Pines "built this city on love and pride."
In Clearwater, Matthews said, "We built this city on common sense."
