Published: October 27, 2009 11:00 pm      

NIAGARA FALLS: A ‘Dream’ event for the city?

Bike and car show mixing adult themes with children’s games

The phrase “something for everyone” will be taken to new heights during an event being pitched for the end of January at Conference Center Niagara Falls.

Billed as a “Dream Toys Show,” the two-day event plans to offer adult and children activities — ranging from a Gentleman’s VIP room featuring bikini-clad pole dancers to a children’s play area with bounce houses — all under one roof.

Promoter Carmen Toromino presented the event’s itinerary to members of the Niagara Falls Tourism Advisory Board this week and said he will be requesting some financial assistance from the city in order to include everything that’s planned. Scheduled for Jan. 30 and 31, the Dream Toys Show’s main draw will be car, motorcycle and boat shows with vendors, exhibits and contests. Complementing the shows will be karate matches, educational seminars, movies, live music and a children’s play area.

A promotional flyer being distributed to motorcycle and automotive shops also advertises several adult-themed attractions, most notably a gentleman’s VIP room in the afternoon hours of both days featuring a lingerie and fashion show, a bikini contest, GoGo pole dancers and a bar.

The mixture of adult and children activities drew immediate concern among the Tourism Advisory Board, which can make a recommendation to the City Council to fund an event.

“So this isn’t something I’d want to bring my daughter to, right?” board member Lisa Vitello asked Toromino.

Though he acknowledged some of the scheduled events are not for children, Toromino emphasized that all of the adult attractions will be housed in separate private rooms in the conference center and paid admission will be needed to gain access. He also pointed out the event’s main attractions are the motorcycles, hot rods, cars and sport bikes, and that the private VIP room won’t be as adult themed as advertised in the flier.

“It’s really just a play on words to make it sound more enticing,” he said.

Toromino told tourism board members he doesn’t see any issues or potential problems occurring.

“It’s for everyone and it’s all a paid venue,” he said. “This is just a proposal, you can get behind it or not.”

He is estimating at least 300 Niagara Falls hotel rooms will be booked over the two days. He said close to 18,000 people attended a similar Dream Toys Show he put on last year at the McKinley Mall in Hamburg.

Concerns aside, such a draw would be a welcome sight downtown during one of the slowest times of the year tourism-wise, said board member Vince Mameli.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of money flying around,” said Mameli, who was among those encouraging Toromino to bring the show to Niagara Falls.

In the past year, the city has allocated $175,000 to sponsor or support various events, festivals and concerts. Tourism Board Chairman Jerry Genova chose his words carefully when asked Monday if he supported making a financial contribution to the Dream Toys Show.

“I’m not in agreement with all of what will be going on but I think you always have to look at things across the board before drawing a conclusion,” he said. “You have to see the process through.”

Councilman Samuel Fruscione, who serves as liaison to the tourism board, was doubtful the city would be a sponsor.

“I think we’re done spending money (on events) right now,” he said.

Toromino told the board the event has already been booked at the Conference Center, which is managed by Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum and overseen by USA Niagara Development Corp. He later added that management “went crazy about the idea” since the building is virtually empty at that time of year.

Despite those comments, Global Spectrum has not finalized any agreement to allow the event to be hosted at the Conference Center, according to Empire State Development spokesperson Katie Krawczyk.

“There have only just been preliminary discussions at this point and there was no indication made to management there would be such adult uses,” she told the Niagara Gazette on Tuesday.

Krawczyk said neither Global Spectrum nor USA Niagara would allow an event to take place with activities that may violate city regulations for proper conduct. Even if all of the Dream Toys Show’s attractions are determined to be in compliance, she said the proposal would have to be closely considered before any agreement was made.

The show is one of a handful of major events Toromino wants to bring to the city in 2010. He also presented plans Monday for a Fallen Patriot and First Responder Run on June 22-25, a Niagara Thunder USA guitarfest and motorcycle rally on July 22-25, and a July 31 food festival and Aug. 21 wine festival.

Toromino, head of Carmen’s Productions Inc., is no stranger to running events in the city. In 2007, he scaled back a four-day motorcycle rally in a vacant North End lot into a more community-friendly event after a pastor and members of a nearby church complained about planned adult-themed contests such as sexy oil wrestling and a wet T-shirt contest.

The ensuing bad publicity contributed to a less-than-expected turnout of between 7,000 to 8,000 people and Toromino moved the rally to Buffalo the following year.

He’s hoping the same won’t happen with the Dream Toys Show.

“It’s something that’s good for the city and will bring in a lot of people and money,” he said.