STATEMENT OF NEED SRA URGENTLY NEEDS A SAFER LOCATION. Moving the location will allow rowers to avoid crossing boat traffic from the State Boat Launch and three marinas. The new location allows rowers to head directly up Fish Creek without passing under the bridge, and without moving through the a steady stream of boats launched from the State launch and three private marinas. View Safety Map. SRA NEEDS A PERMANENT WINTERIZED SHELTER. A 12- foot trailer provides headquarters with no winterized shelter for a large inventory of boats and equipment. The team has clearly out-grown its accommodations. - Nine boats had to be replaced due to damage by falling trees and branches in two successive seasons for a loss of $40,000+. Each year a new location has to be determined for storing boats, utilizing empty facilities. This is especially difficult given the number and size of boats owned by the team. - Motors for launches and other equipment are kept in parents' basements - Coaches operate out of their own apartments, with no centralized office space. The coaches' office is a dining room table in their apartment. -Volunteers must maintain registration and business paperwork at their own homes and offices. Given the number of regattas hosted with boat registrations for well over 10,000 athletes on an annual basis, this has become onerous. - Boys' and girls' changing areas are two portable toilets. - Team meetings take place at a gym or outside at the launch. SRA MUST MAINTAIN NATIONAL PROMINENCE. Saratoga Rowing Association has helped establish Saratoga Springs and Fish Creek as a premiere rowing location bringing thousands of visitors to regattas annually. - SRA generates $2.14 million annually for local businesses through its regattas. It is essential for the Saratoga Springs community that SRA continues to be able to attract visitors to these events. -Saratoga has been selected to host the 2006 Nationals, but must have a race course to take advantage of this opportunity. - Rowing is GROWING - especially at the women's college level. As more teams are created and boathouses built, there will be more competition to host regattas. With a fixed number of weekends each year available for competitions, there is fierce competition to attract the thousands of visitors that are currently supporting Saratoga sponsored regattas. - Development of the Senior B Elite levels (age 19-26) would allow top high school athletes as well as returning collegiate rowers the opportunity to train during summer breaks.