Tamarind Phinisee

A San Marcos-based nonprofit is working side-by-side with San Marcos city officials to bring more tourist dollars to the city.

San Marcos, popular for its bargain shopping outlets, is also known for its river activities.

To that end, a nonprofit called Red River Racing is working with the city of San Marcos to design a man-made whitewater rapids area.

The creation of the rapids area was spearheaded by business owners Debbie Power and her husband, David, who sponsored the Red River Racing Team 2000 Oympics and who also helped found the nonprofit in 1999.

Aside from being an obvious tourist attraction, Red River Racing officials say the whitewater rapids will be used for general kayaking instruction and to provide athletes competing for the Olympics and Junior Olympics a place to train and practice on the San Marcos River.

The goal of the rapids is to make the city an attractive option for holding the 2008 Olympic Kayak trials. However, the city has not made a bid for the Olympic trials at this time.

The new rapids will be located about a block away from Red River's Olympic Outdoor Center at Interstate Highway 35 and CM Allen Parkway. The center, which opened in 2001, provides kayaking instruction.

The majority of the nonprofit's operating funds are raised through instructional events, such as guided river trips, indoor pool programs and monthly three-day whitewater clinics on the San Marcos River.

Michelle Kvanli and her husband, Ben -- both of whom compete in Olympic kayaking events -- provide kayaking instruction to some 1,000 people a year. About 20 of those, Kvanli says, are considered to be training in preparation for the Olympics.

On course

To assist in creating the new rapids, the city of San Marcos is repairing the Rio Vista Dam, which is located about a mile south of the spring-fed headwaters of the San Marcos River.

The dam repair and whitewater improvements project will cost the city of San Marcos almost $3 million.

City officials say about $1.4 million of that amount was funded directly through the city's budget. The remainder of the money will be raised through the sale of certificates of obligation or bonds.

Plans call for repairing the river's west banks, adding 12-foot boulders and creating whitewater rapids with three drops about 100 feet apart.

Construction of the rapids is expected to be completed by the end of May, in time for a three-day fundraiser that the nonprofit will hold on June 24.

Ben Kvanli says the goal of the fundraiser will be to bring in about $50,000 to underwrite its Junior Olympic development program. Kvanli says he wants to raise awareness about the San Marcos Whitewater Park and its availability to Olympic athletes.

"What that does is ... take care of the basic things that we have to have to be able to continue to open up the center and run programs here," says Ben Kvanli, who is the director of Red River Racing.

San Marcos Mayor Susan Clifford Narvaiz says the project did not start out to attract tourists.

The Rio Vista Dam, Narvaiz says, was in need of serious repair.

"This was driven by a safety emergency that was discovered by one of our kayakers (Kvanli) and brought to our attention," Narvaiz says. "We were looking to do what we would normally would have done."

The concept of making the area a tourist attraction and something that works for Olympic athletes was secondary. But, she says, she believes it will add to the city's tourism reputation.

Rebecca Ramirez, director of the city's Convention and Visitor's Bureau, agrees, adding that the new course will be a lure for folks in nearby cities like San Antonio and Austin as well.

Monday, May 1, 2006

Biz partners float whitewater concept

San Antonio Biz-Women Journal

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