Spirit Run to set new course as compromise

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- An error that caused two major events to be scheduled

at the same place at the same time appears to have been resolved.

The Spirit Run, a fund-raiser for local schools that has grown to the

third-largest children’s run in California, will change the course of its

events, including the 5K, 10K and all children’s runs. The change will

allow attendees of the Toshiba Senior Classic golf tournament on March 10

to reach event parking on Newport Center Drive, where the Spirit Run’s

course was originally scheduled to be.

“It’s unfortunate that it happened this way, but in the end it worked

out fine,” said Robyn Moss, a volunteer coordinator for the Spirit Run.

City staff accidentally issued permits that put the two events in

conflict. The Toshiba Senior Classic attracts about 80,000 people to the

Newport Beach Country Club over the course of the seven-day golf

tournament. Sunday is usually its biggest day, with about 25,000

attendees.

The Spirit Run brings 5,000 people -- runners and spectators combined

-- to the area in a fund-raiser for five Corona del Mar elementary

schools. Last year, the run raised $200,000.

Neither event was flexible in its dates, so one of them had to move.

Parking for the golf tournament is in the 500 and 600 blocks of Newport

Center Drive, accessed by driving on the course where runners would have

been.

“It’s going to cost the Spirit Run more money, but we’ll look at

waiving costs associated with the event,” City Manager Homer Bludau said.

The mistake will cost the Spirit Run about $900 to pay a surveyor to

certify the new course in addition to extra consultant fees. The city

might subtract these costs out of the amount the run organizers pay the

city for police officers to provide traffic and crowd control.

“No matter what, safety will still be our No. 1 priority,” Moss said.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .