LAKEPORT – As the City of Lakeport prepares to hold its second community meeting to discuss hosting BoardStock later today, the event's promoter says his event is being unfairly blamed for crime and violence.

Rob Stimmel of BoardStock Productions won't be at the 4:30 p.m. meeting at city hall, although he attended the first on March 6. At that meeting, there were numerous community members who spoke both for and against the city hosting the event.

Acting City Manager Richard Knoll, however, said last week he intended to recommend that the City Council approve hosting the event, because he believes that if it were to include certain modifications – including being gated an nonalcoholic – it would be a good fit and a benefit to the local economy.

Stimmel, who is in Italy this week, said in a phone interview Monday that he's concerned that his event is being blamed for a number of underage drinking arrests that occurred last summer at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, which hosted the event for the past two years.

“BoardStock is getting blamed for everything,” he said.

Stimmel claims that Konocti Harbor President and CEO Greg Bennett had sought out BoardStock for several years before it finally came to the county, and had then approached him for a multi-year deal before suddenly announcing last month that the resort would not continue to host the event.

Stimmel said Bennett told him the decision to drop the event was a result of dozens of citations for underage drinking.

A call to Bennett's office late Monday afternoon was not returned.

According to District Attorney Jon Hopkins, his office filed charges in between 30 and 40 cases of minors in possession of alcohol, referred to them by Alcoholic Beverage Control.

BoardStock wasn't to blame for the crime issues, said Stimmel, which he said happened after his event ended for the day, which was usually between 4 and 5 p.m.

“The reputation of my event has kind of been tarnished a little bit,” Stimmel said.

Stimmel said he was especially concerned about recent comments made by Bennett in which he said he planned to do an event similar to BoardStock. The BoardStock banners are still up at the resort, although Stimmel said he has asked for them to be taken down.

He said he would like to be known for his sporting events. BoardStock is part of the World Series of Wakeboarding and the wakesurfing world championships, he said.

Stimmel asked for the city to give him a year, let him put on a world class sporting event and then decide whether or not to invite him back.

The event brings in between $3.5 million and $5 million, said Stimmel. Last year, he said, Konocti Harbor collected $140,000 at the gate.

Stimmel said he will offer to share the gate proceeds with the city in order to police coverage and other city expenses.

He said he's dedicated to having a “good, professional event.”

The meeting will be held at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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