We're sad to report that Roche Harbor has declined to further host our event. Included below is their explanatory email to Dan.
It's been a great run and we'll miss it dearly.
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From Brent Snow, Roche Harbor.
Dan Paulson,
Thanks for our conversations over the last week regarding the Irish Music Camp at Roche Harbor.
The email below is a summary and formalization of our talk.
The Irish Music Camp has been a great part of our late winter program for more than a decade.
Sadly, however, circumstances have changed significantly over the years. The rate of change in the past 17 months has accelerated even more.
As much as it pains me to tell you, the run has been a good one, and like all great performances, the end of the show has come.
Here are the fundamentals of why we must, sadly, call an end to the camp at Roche Harbor:
- The Camp and it’s guests, have very real, and reasonable needs for service and support. The guests are not “super low maintenance” guests as was envisioned when the camp was formed many years ago.
- Roche Harbor has necessary and significant room repairs and upgrades (QuarryMan and Condos) planned for the late winter and spring. This will reduce the number of available rooms. There will not be a surplus of unoccupied room.
- Staffing has been very difficult during the pandemic and post-pandemic. This labor shortage applies to all areas for both domestic and visa workers. We see no change in this over the next year. There simply are not enough staff to operate at narrow margins.
- Rates: under the last 2018 agreement, the Irish rates are 30% of our current winter rack rates. It is simply not possible to operate Roche Harbor lodging at these rates.
Dan, I realize this may seem like short notice (7+ months), however the conditions are changing around us at a pace we’ve never seen before.
The Camp has been a memorable event for years. It will be part of our history and one we’ll always remember.
We hope the Camp will find a new home.
Thanks
Brent
