Tournament Fiasco Continues

During the Feb. 17 meeting, council members had another chance to review last November’s wheelchair tennis tournament. Councilmember Cathy Schlicht called attention to problems by asking for an independent investigation. Instead of wanting answers, three council majority members either attacked her or indicated they didn’t need additional information. Councilman Frank Ury was absent.

The following summary indicates just how badly city administrators handled a tournament that wasn’t supposed to cost taxpayers a dime. A contract with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was signed last year by City Manager Dennis Wilberg, who now claims he didn’t know what it would cost.

On 7-1-13, the council approved budgeting $55,000 after staff members indicated the money would be repaid. Costs of the tournament rose to $239,350, and that doesn’t include the city staff’s time.

1. Council members’ copy of the contract had only 11 pages; the contract was 28 pages.
2. Council members’ 11 pages didn’t include specifics, such as taxpayers paying for a 4-star hotel for professional athletes and their entourage.
3. City staff didn’t have council approval to apply for hosting the tournament.
4. ITF’s 4-2-13 press release announced Mission Viejo would host the event.
5. The council didn’t approve hosting the event until 7-1-13.
6. On 7-1-13, the staff said that the city’s outlay of $55,000 “would be underwritten by sponsorships, donations and fees.”
7. Sponsors were solicited ($107,500 as per city website), but where’s the money?
8. The amount budgeted for a tournament director was $6,500; a summary says he was paid $9,450, and the check register shows he was paid $10,100.
9. The city paid $2,039 for a private ITF party on 11-6-13 at Mission Viejo Country Club.
10. Costs for a “farewell dinner” have not been found.
11. City employees’ time and pay have not been accounted for.
12. Taxpayers were dinged $5,000 for hundreds of ITF Wheelchair Master staff shirts.
13. The tournament is a business (not a charity) with paid professional tennis players.
14. There is no record of players’ prize money – some prizes are as high as $9,533.00.
15. City photos of the 2013 winners crop off oversize checks of prize money
16. The city printed 2,000 programs, but the attendance was abysmally low.
17. City videos of the tourney block out the stands of empty seats.
18. ITF has already announced Mission Viejo is hosting the November 2014 tournament.
19. Despite the problems and unanswered questions, the council majority of Ury, Leckness, Reardon and Kelley approved the city’s hosting another ITF tourney for 2014.

City staff members solicited “in-kind donations” of $45,000 from local restaurants to feed 125 people for a week. Other expenses included hotels and “gifts for the players.” Thirty-six professional tennis players and their coaches, etc., enjoyed a weeklong luxury vacation at Mission Viejo taxpayers’ expense.