One of the nation's most prestigious automotive competitions, the Kirkland Concours d' Elegance, moves to Tacoma's LeMay – America's Car Museum next fall.
"This is a huge deal for Tacoma," said Richard Griot, president and chief executive of Griot's Garage, the Tacoma-headquartered car-care products retailer. "This show will attract not only the well-to-do car owners, but thousands of people who want a look at these rare cars."
The show, nine years old this year, is among the top concours events in the nation, said John Barline, a Tacoma attorney and past board president at LeMay.
"Pebble Beach is probably number one on the list of concours events," said Barline. "Amelia Island in Florida may be the number two," he said. "Kirkland is probably number four."
The move to Tacoma was a blow to Kirkland.
"Of course we're disappointed," Bill Vadino, executive director of the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, told Patch.com. The Kirkland Chamber provided staffing support for the show.
A concours is more select and exclusive than a normal car show, said LeMay's President and CEO David Madeira. Cars are exhibited only by invitation, and most of the autos on display are rare brands such as Aston Martin, Duesenberg, Packard and Bugatti. The autos are most often one-off vehicles whose bodies were custom-built by coachmakers to the owners' specifications. The cars in such a concours competition can be worth millions each.
The show typically has several focuses. This year the spotlight was on the Aston Martin marque. Among the Aston Martins on display was the one used in several classic James Bond movies.
The event will be staged Sept. 9 next year in the new museum's show field between the museum building and the Tacoma Dome. That venue is considerably larger than the concours' present site at Carillon Point in Kirkland. King County auto dealer Phil Smart is expected to continue as the show's major sponsor.
That Kirkland site was limited to about 100 cars. The LeMay plans to show about 125 cars next year, said Madeira.
The cars in the competition are judged by their beauty, rarity and authenticity.
The agreement between LeMay and the nonprofit organization that managed the show in Kirkland was the result of a long courtship. The concours' board and the LeMay board have had close connections. Under that agreement, the museum will assume operational control and management of the event. An advisory board from the existing concours group will continue to provide advice and counsel to the museum regarding the event.
Peter Hageman, one of the five founding members of the Kirkland concours event, said the move was a natural evolution. LeMay's huge collection of rare vehicles, most of them acquired by Pierce County refuse mogul Harold LeMay, and the new museum campus make Tacoma a perfect venue for the concours event, he said. Hageman said he expects LeMay will inherit not only the event's sterling reputation but most of its large corps of volunteers.
Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland said the museum's acquisition of such a prestigious event is a confirmation of the stature and importance of the LeMay in the automotive world. The concours event will give Tacoma a fresh exposure among corporate chieftains and investors who come to such exhibitions, she said. The concourse historically attracts about 5,000 viewers for its one-day run, said Hageman. Typical admission prices range from $20 to $25, he said.
The concours will likely attract related events, said Madeira and Barline. The show usually is proceeded by a three-day tour of the region for classic and antique autos and a one-day tour for more contemporary sports cars.
The museum is attempting to lure a major national auto auction to Tacoma to take advantage of the gathering of car collectors for the concours.
The concours will likely be a boost for Tacoma-area hotels and restaurants, said Tammy Blount, president and chief executive of the Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"The concours will enhance the prestige and reputation of the whole area," she said. "How cool is that?"
John Gillie, 253-597-8663
john.gillie@thenewstribune.com
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