<center><img src="http://i.pbase.com/o6/49/678449/1/75500743.Zbnhzy52.pano5057.jpg"></center><p>SFLGTG #15 is in the books! Thanks to all of the Audi enthusiasts who came out for the event - we had a great showing from Audi this year, with over 30 cars. Overall, nearly 600 VWs &amp; Audis of all models and vintages came to the GTG.

(For the full gallery - roughly 64 pictures...click the link below)



Thanks to my SFLGTG crew who put together an awesome event again - and recovering the glory from our Wilma-handicapped event last year. Lou, Nate, Rick, Jose, Drew, and the whole crew worked their butts off and did a great job.
Thanks to the volunteers of course - we learned long ago that this thing couldn't be done through the 5 or 6 of us alone...and the volunteers just keep stepping up and taking the bulk of the workload to make the event run smoothly.

Thanks to the sponsors who continue to allow us to bring this event to the VW/Audi enthusiast community FREE and open to all...we pride ourselves that this event stays non-profit, and keeps the original VW/Audi community spirit alive - be we couldn't do it without sponsors to help pick up the tab!

And thanks to all who came to the event - it's great to see so many different people with a common interest, having a good time.

Treetops park was a great location, and if all goes well, should be the new home of the SFLGTG - the park staff was accomodating and friendly, and gave us a ton of space with lots of shade and facilities - it's just the type of place we want!

Looking forward to SFLGTG #16!!<ul><li><a href="http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/south_florida_gtg_15">http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/south_florida_gtg_15</a</li></ul>

Exhibitors were not allowed to conduct any sales transactions. APR was 'back-dooring' software. They got caught but claimed they were just installing trials. Then one of the organizers found someone with an invoice for a chip install that day. They told APR to pack it up and leave and that they are banned from future GTG's as well as their dealers. Unbelieveable.

There have been no declarations of future bans on APR. One of the organizers did have some issues with sales on site - and it wasn't just with APR. There were two other sponsors that we had to warn. APR was just the most publicly noticed, as they are the largest.

The sales issue was not ours - it was the Broward County park system. When we secured this location, they were willing to accomodate us but without the vendor licenses. The issue was two-fold - the cost of the vendor licenses would have significantly raised the sponsor costs and insurance costs, and the park was giving us essentially a 'trial run'.

At a previous event, we had a sponsor cost us the use of Markham park because of one of their crew spinning donuts on the park lawn after the show. The last thing we needed was to lose this park because a sponsor was caught selling when they weren't allowed. That's why we had to be so touchy on the issue - we want to keep coming back to this park!

All of our sponsors were notified of the no-sales rule, and signed acknowledgements to that end. But the park officials roamed through the grounds several times warning us that they thought they were seeing sales. We had to initiate some action to show the park we were willing to follow their rules.

In the end - the park officials were very complimentary about our event - they specifically mentioned how much better to deal with we were than a Mopar show that was there the previous week. We are already planning to secure the park for the next show - and even better, WITH sales allowed for all sponsors.

One of our organizers who was in charge of setting up this event was indeed frustrated with APR...but our event is represented by a board - one person doesn't decide who does or doesn't come back. No bans have been issued, no fatwas, and no jihads. The sponsor who got us thrown out of Markham park was allowed back after long talks - we had to work out our issues and get a few promises, but in the end, we worked it out. APR has offered future support and an olive branch - we will definately be talking with them and trying to work out any grudges on either side, and make the decision on future sponsors based on that progress.

The issue that gave us problems this year won't BE an issue next year - sales and vending will be allowed. We've had a long relationship with APR, and most of the APR representatives and SFLGTG organizers remain on friendly terms. We do have one organizer who was angry - he had alot invested in the event, and had to deal with all of the pressure of keeping the park happy and running the show and all the sponsors. And he's right to feel that way.

But please don't throw out unsubstantiated rumors or jump to conclusions not yet made. Noone is banned from future events. There hasn't been a trial. The organizers will get together and decide who gets sponsor packs for the next event after we all discuss the pros and cons of each company and vote as a group. If the majority of organizers feel APR offers more pros than cons, they will be invited back. That stage is still many months away.

We had this issue with 3 of our sponsors. They all claimed not to be selling, but in two cases we were able to locate either purchase orders or sold items. Both of those sponsors were notified that the rules had been broken. The rules were not ours, but the park's...and we were defending the reputation of our event and our future at the park - so believe me, there was alot at stake!

APR was just a much larger sponsor, and it was much more noticeable when we confronted them.

We do not permanently ban any sponsors from the event. We weigh each situation for each event, and decide if we want them back.

We had a sponsor not invited back last year due to an incident the prior year...but we invited them back this year again after some discussion with them about the prior incident.

There were 3 sponsors warned, and 2 who we found evidence of sales from. APR was initially asked to leave, and begun to do so. Later, we had the chance to speak to park officials, explained the situation, and told them we would follow their rules as to how to deal with the issue...if we had to have police escort the vendors out, we would - we have run such an open, friendly, public event without ever stepping a foot wrong, but still have earned a 'problem' reputation throughout Broward and Dade park systems because of the antics of a few attendees and a few sponsors, so we are defending our reputation and our event. Fortunately, the park officials were understanding, and told us we were doing a fine job...they briefly spoke to APR.

As you know, APR did stay, was allowed to set back up again, and resumed flashing cars and displaying to the end of the event...as was the other sponsor.

One of our organizers is understandably upset that sponsors broke contract rules and risked shutting down our event and losing use of the park - only the organizers understand how much is at risk when a sponsor or an attendee breaks the law because we are the only ones that lose.

Other organizers spoke to APR, cooler heads prevailed, and no future bans have been declared. Sponsors for the next event will be decided by all of us when we reach that planning stage, and we'll decide then if any sponsors will be uninvited for SFLGTG 16.

I was standing by APR when one of the guys came running back saying they were in trouble. I had a feeling it wasn't the GTG angry so much as the park not allowing them to sell on site.