L.B. beaches see record attendance, revenues

L.B. beaches see record attendance, revenues
Free admission in effect for seniors and youths
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — City officials received some good news last week: beach revenues are on the increase.

Danny George, beach manager, and Carl Jennings, director of the Recreation Department and Human Services, delivered the news at the July 28 workshop meeting.

"We have made a major jump as far as revenues are concerned, from both daily and seasonal," Jennings told the council. "In 2000 we made $126,604, compared to 2009, where to date we made $565,525."

So far this year, beach fees are up $20,000 to $30,000 from the same point in 2008, according to city Finance Director Ron Mehlhorn Sr.

This is the second year that the recreation department has had a policy of not charging youths under 17 and senior citizens for admission to the beach.

"It should be noted that 2000-2007 also included when our rates were different and we charged kids and senior citizens," George said. "[The] last two years is just strictly our new policy, and we've really jumped in numbers the last two years."

Some thought that a rainy month of June may have driven revenues down, but George said that wasn't the case.

"If you look at our numbers, we've only had four rain days," he said. "The weather has not really been that bad."

George said a lot of the beachgoers are coming from surrounding areas and check the weather in advance to plan their trip. George cited the July 25 weekend, where Saturday was expected to be nicer than Sunday.

"Like this weekend, everybody came to the beach, and the rain scared them off the beach, but they've already been there," council President Michael DeStefano said, agreeing with George.

"They already paid," city Business Administrator Howard Woolley Jr. quickly added.

George then explained how well the beach did during that weekend.

"We did $27,000 by 1 p.m. [on Saturday]," he said. "Sunday was actually much better than Saturday, and we did a third of the business."

George went on to say that there have been many good days for the beaches lately.

"Two Sundays ago we did $38,000 in dailies," he said. "Our biggest day was the 4th of July, where we just about hit $40,000.

"Today, on a Tuesday, we did $9,300 and the beach almost looked like a Saturday because every Suburban comes in with two moms and seven kids," he added.

George also explained that the number of people could not be properly calculated with just the number of daily badges sold.

"What you can't calculate is the [number] of seasonal," he said. "Our seasonal badges, we surpassed that with 200 more seasonal badges than we did all of last year.

"Not to mention every kid who is 17 and under," he added. "Our beaches are so crowded it's unbelievable."

George credited the policy of allowing children and senior citizens on the beach for no charge as a reason the beaches have been so crowded this season.

"What is amazing is the amount of kids," he said. "I believe the word is out. People know this year more than ever that 17 and under are free."

George said that last year there was a problem because the children would need to provide identification to prove that they were under 17. This year, that issue has been smoothed out.

"It has been easy on our ticket takers because we were so hard on them last year about the ID," he said. "They know now that they are not getting on without an ID.

"It's the best deal in town," he added. Jennings said that beachgoers did their research, and the low cost of the Long Branch beach was sought out.

"We must have gotten hundreds of calls before the season," he said.

George explained how the city is maximizing the beaches it has.

"We have 60 booths open and 15 beaches," he said. "Our goal was to spread down the beach.

"Our goal is put a lifeguard on, put flags up, and people will come," he added.

George also cited the number of beaches that have been packed this season.

"I think North Bath has never been more crowded," he said. "The train situation has been awesome. You just see people flying down to the beach."

Council members were pleased to hear about the crowded beaches and increased revenues, but were also concerned about increased expenses attached to the beach operations.

"We opened up a lot of beaches and stands, so our expenses are higher," Councilman Anthony Giordano said.

Woolley said that the city does not calculate daily expenses for operating the beach until after the season, but added that it was "an expensive operation."

The Long Branch beaches operate from Memorial Day to Labor Day. A daily badge is $5 and a seasonal badge is $35.

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com.


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