I was recently informed by way of an e-mail from a friend in St. Thomas that Team Caribbean decided to abort their attempt to participate in the Amercia's Cup due to financial constraints.
This news did not surprise me, as a blind man could see that it would have been even more of a complete waste of time and money than it already was.
Time and time again I heard Peter Holmberg and his supporters ballyhoo about how greatly the U.S. Virgin Islands would benefit from him participating in this event. Pete, please,you and your cohorts may be able to fool some of the Virgin Islands people but not me.
The only people that stood to gain anything were you and maybe a few of your local sponsors, not the territory.
If the economy of the territory is in such bad shape, and "business is bad" as we have heard on a regular basis from the Chamber of Commerce and other business entities, how could it be possible to raise millions of dollars for a boat race that Pete had no chance of winning?
The Virgin Islands 16-18 basketball team scored back-to-back gold medals at the World Youth Basketball Championship; I don't see the Chamber of Commerce rushing out to sponsor their trip to Milwaukee this year. These same youths are the future Tim Duncans, Reynaldo Turnbulls and Andre Wadsworths of the sports world; these are the people that bring recognition to the Virgin Islands, not Mr. Holmberg.
America's Cup? All this was was Peter Holmberg trying to realize his own personal
dream and nothing else.
You want the Virgin Islands to benefit from a sporting event, how about sponsoring the America's Youth Basketball Championship to be held in St. Thomas at the proposed new University of the Virgin Islands Gymnasium?
Teams from North America, South America and the Caribbean could be invited to participate; this would fill your hotel rooms and bring patrons to your businesses.
Arthur J. Bonelli
