Wildwood Mayor Pushes For Trump Rally Reimbursement

WILDWOOD, NJ — The Wildwood mayor remains optimistic that the city will get reimbursed for costs of President Donald Trump's rally – including cleanup efforts from the day after – even though he's already been essentially rebuffed on his request.

"I spoke with (Rep. Jeff) Van Drew myself on Monday night," Byron told Patch. "He said the president and he were not very happy with my stance that the city should not have to pay the cost of this political rally."

Byron, a Democratic mayor elected in November, categorizes political rallies with other promoted events such as concerts. In those cases, the promoter will cover the cost of any extra police, fire and emergency services personnel needed.

They mayor said he would expect the same from a politician, even if Trump and Van Drew, both Republicans, don't share his politics.

It will take the City of Wildwood at least a few weeks to calculate its expenses from the event, Byron said. That will include paying the police departments that helped with the event — police from throughout Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland Counties assisted.

"We want to gather the costs," Byron said. "I’ll start with the local GOP. Then we’ll take it from there. We’ll see if we can get reimbursement from those guys, and it may end right there."

Van Drew's campaign told Patch to ask the Trump campaign about reimbursement. Campaign Manager Ron Filan provided the following statement that seemed to blame Byron's request on "partisan politics."

"Congressman Van Drew was proud to welcome President Trump to Wildwood and wishes that partisan politics wouldn't ever get in the way of an opportunity to showcase the great people of South Jersey," he said.

The Trump campaign didn't return comment in time for publication.

City officials also participated in a major cleanup Wednesday. Photos showed piles of trash and leftover items such as beach chairs, blankets, hats and gloves.

Byron said the Trump campaign was responsible for providing a specific amount of trash cans. But a presidential visit creates certain complications with maintaining a clean environment, the mayor said.

The Secret Service choreographed security. The agency generally limits trash cans at presidential rallies because explosives can be placed inside them. Security also limited what items people could bring inside.

"One of the things they were told is that anybody who has a chair of an umbrella or blankets, things such as that, you’re not going to be able to bring them in to the Convention Center," Byron said. "So to prepare, just leave them wherever you are."

City officials reached out to churches and food banks to offer them items such as chairs, hats and gloves left outside.

Despite everything, the Tuesday rally was still "fantastic" for the city, Byron said. The event gave Wildwood a rare opportunity for national exposure, which their advertising budget usually cannot cover.

He estimates that about 15,000 people attended. Van Drew and President Trump estimated that 175,000 people registered for tickets. Patch has not been able to independently verify the number of registrants. Read more: WATCH: Donald Trump At Wildwood Rally: 'We Have Accountability'

The rally should still put Wildwood in good financial position, according to one expert. The event also economically benefits the surrounding area, according to Villanova School of Business Professor David Fiorenza.

"It should be enough to cover the cost of any cleanup as well as any overtime by public services and police," said Fiorenza, an expert in the economics of the hospitality industry.

Fiorenza didn't reveal a revenue estimate. But he said Wildwood's upcoming hotel tax and the state sales tax should put it more in perspective.

He estimated that hotels, motels restaurants and shops saw a positive impact within a 60-mile radius of the rally. The temporary economic boom will also extend to gas stations and tolls, Fiorenza says.

"It’s not going to be in the millions like say if we had a concert like Kenny Chesney on the beach," Fiorenza said. "But it was enough that people opened up their doors and diners and restaurants and also their hotels for a few days during a time when there’s not much going on."

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