Marathon may be denied 2018 permit

Course too short this year, half-mile too long last year

As if the PNC Milwaukee Marathon didn’t have enough problems, it’s now facing a key city official who wants to “put it out of its misery.”

Ald. Robert Bauman, chairman of the city’s Public Works Committee, says he won’t approve the marathon’s permit next year.

Pointing to low participation rates, road closures and an error that left the marathon course too short, Bauman said problems with the event have gotten out of control.

“We have organizers of this event who can’t even get the correct distance for a marathon, much less coordinate all the logistical issues that go into putting on an event of this kind,” Bauman said Wednesday at a Public Works Committee meeting. “I hope we have put this out of its misery for at least a couple of years until we have some individuals come forward who actually have a proven track record in getting the right distance for marathons at a minimum.”

This year’s course fell short by about eight-tenths of a mile. A Boston Marathon spokesman has said PNC Marathon qualifying times would not be accepted.

Last year, the marathon course was measured too long and some cones were kicked off the course, so all runners went beyond the standard 26.2-mile distance by at least a half a mile and even more in about a dozen cases.

The race is now under new ownership — ROC Productions bought the event from its creator, Chris Ponteri — but the same experts were used to measure out the course, which changed from last year.

Bauman’s approval is especially important for the marathon because much of the course is in his district.

Marathon organizers urged Bauman and other committee members to be patient, saying the event will grow to become a success.

Joe Zimmerman, president of ROC Productions, said the course mistake was due to “human error,” despite great efforts to get it right. There were about 20 cones that were set incorrectly near the Hank Aaron State Trail, he said.

“This is my worst nightmare, frankly,” Zimmerman said.

He added that marathon organizers already have “some solutions to offer next year” to address resident complaints about street closures.

“We’re committed to the event, we’re committed to the community, we’re committed to homeowners and local businesses,” Zimmerman said. “I believe there’s a ton of potential on this event.”

During Zimmerman’s testimony, Bauman asked, “Do you intend to bring this back next year?”

“I would sure like to, yeah,” Zimmerman answered. “Absolutely.”

“Well, we’ll see how that goes, because I’m certainly not going to support it,” said Bauman, who was already a critic of the marathon before this year’s course mistake.

Ald. Nik Kovac added that he’s rethinking his support for the event.

“I’ve been a consistent supporter of this marathon. I want there to be a Milwaukee Marathon,” Kovac said. “But sometimes the worst thing you can, when you want something to happen, is have it be run by the wrong people in the wrong way.”