Lake Travis has been selected to be the host site for the 2010 AquaPalooza signature event in late July.

AquaPalooza is Sea Ray’s annual series of free on-water parties during the last two weekends of July at 150 locations in North America and abroad with the signature event drawing a flotilla of boaters, kayakers and water tubers.
Country singer Alan Jackson headlined last year’s event at Lake Martin, Ala., that attracted about 4,000 boats and 30,000 people, and Taylor Swift, Everclear, Cracker and Soul Asylum performed at previous AquaPaloozas.
At a meeting Tuesday at Lakeway Resort & Spa, Sea Ray executives gauged support from the business community, housing developers, law enforcement and government officials. By Monday, it was official — Lake Travis had been chosen to host the event.
Key criteria in picking a host are having a superior body of water and a partnership with a leading Sea Ray dealer in place.
Sail & Ski Center of Lakeway garnered first place on Boating Industry Magazine’s 2009 Top 100 Dealers in North America list.
“Without a dealer like Sail & Ski, you’re not even considered [for AquaPalooza],” Rob Noyes, Sea Ray vice president of marketing, explained.
Sail & Ski owner Buzz Watkins said he was pleased with the community support which helped convince organizers to choose Lake Travis.
“We had great support,” Watkins said.
AquaPalooza began four years ago with 500 boats and grew to 1,000 boats the next year and then 3,000.
“In a period of four years, it’s blown up on them,” Watkins said. “The nature of such a large undertaking has completely outgrown the capabilities and resources of the host location’s Sea Ray dealer. This is going to be a complete community effort in order for it to be successfully staged.”
Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce President Laura Mitchell said the event will be a boon to a retail industry that saw lake levels and business dip drastically in 2009.
“It will probably create the most significant economic impact that the local business community has ever seen,” Mitchell said.
Lake Martin recorded record fuel sales at last year’s event, and Noyes estimated each boating party purchases an average of $100 in grocery sales. AquaPalooza also attracts thousands of out-of-town boaters to the community who are looking for hotel accommodations.
“You’re putting a lot of heads in beds,” Noyes said.
He expected to make his final decision on the host location Monday.
“The critical factor is community acceptance and involvement,” Noyes said.

Find out more in the next edition of the Lake Travis View. Photo courtesy of David K. Witty.