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'Dinner in the Sky' could lift Delray Beach

Sarah Martin presenting to city commission.

Sarah Martin of the Downtown Marketing Cooperative with Assistant City Manager Robert Barcinski presenting plans for "Dinner in the Sky."

By David Sedore, Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — Imagine gathering at the dinner table — and looking down on Delray’s 100-foot Christmas tree and the rest of Atlantic Avenue decked out in its holiday finest.

It could happen come Dec. 1. Fork out a mere $500 and it could be you sitting up there.

The Delray Marketing Cooperative, which along with the city, conducts the annual Christmas Tree lighting, is planning something different — very different — to put new energy into the celebration.

Dinner in the Sky.

As many as 22 people at a time will be lifted by crane to a height of 160 feet, where they will experience some of best cuisine Delray Beach has to offer. The crane would be located in the pavilion lawn behind the Old School Square museum. An alternative site would be the top of the Old School Square parking garage. All the food would be prepared on the ground to maximize safety.

“Our goal is to get as much publicity as possible for Delray Beach as a Mecca for fine dining,” the DMC’s Sarah Martin told Delray Beach city commissioners Tuesday evening.

Martin said Dinner in the Sky also should raise “a substantial amount of money,” which would be used to offset some of the cost of the tree lighting, plus enable the DMC to do more marketing.

The event won’t be cheap. Renting the equipment alone will cost about $40,000. The DMC figures to raise $44,000 from ticket sales — there would be four seatings of 22 people each — plus $18,000 from the chosen restauranteur, who would use the event as “an extreme marketing opportunity,” Martin said.

“I think it’s an extreme branding opportunity for the city,” Commissioner Jay Alperin said.

An alternative plan is to lower the price point and more seatings, while offering a less formal dining experience — hors d’oeuvres for example — and more seatings.

Assistant City Manager Robert Barcinski, who works with the DMC as part of his duties, said he raised the question about safety, considering the throng that’s expected to attend  the Dec. 1 lighting, plus the other associated events, including the arrival by helicopter of Santa Clause.

Martin, however, said Dinner in the Sky events have been held around the world and as close as the Seminole casino in Coconut Creek without incident. “It is less dangerous than any carnival ride that has moving parts.”

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