For Niagara 5000 CEO and founder Alana Hurov, bringing some of the rarest cars on the planet to Niagara-on-the-Lake Aug. 9 in a showcase of luxury and awe is more than just a single day of expensive things lining the community’s main drag.
For the former CBC entertainment reporter and producer, who left her most recent position as marketing director NOTL’s 124 on Queen Hotel and Spa for a full-time gig as head of the extravagant car show, it is about creating such a lasting impression on high-end businesses and individuals that they have little choice but to look to this community for long-term investment and fun.
“I truly believe this region is the Napa of the north,” said Hurov in an interview from her Virgil home.
“We have everything those types of clients are looking for. It just has to be marketed properly.”
The Napa she mentions is of course Napa Valley, Calif., which has gained international attention over the years for its wine, climate, food, landscapes and celebrities — a description which, in many ways, mirrors that of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“I want to help support our region and grow tourism and do it in a way that we can become that premier destination,” she said, pointing to Niagara 5000 as an example of a major way to lure the high-end demographic.
Growing up in Calgary, Hurov knows something about beautiful landscapes and high-end lifestyles.
Calgary is Alberta’s southern metropolitan centre, where big oil and energy companies house their corporate headquarters.
It is a stone’s throw from the majestic Rocky Mountains, where people find winter and summer homes, world-class skiing and fine dining in communities such as Banff, one of the globe’s premier vacation and getaway locations.
With Toronto just down the road from Niagara-on-the-Lake, said Hurov, this town could become a Banff equivalent for people wanting that small town but luxurious getaway.
“We are only an hour and a half from Toronto. So we should be that place where people come for their incredible experience because we have them. We have wine, we have food, we have the lake. We have everything,” she said.
And now, Niagara-on-the-Lake has the Niagara 5000.
The car show has again partnered with McLaren Toronto to showcase some of the most expensive sports cars in the world.
Last year, it was known as the McLaren Street Party, but when Hurov’s bosses at 124 on Queen decided against hosting again, she jumped at the chance to make it her own.
New this year will be the addition of the Pfaff Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, a race car that is driven by Canadian James Hinchcliffe.
Car and driver will arrive in NOTL fresh off a race in Atlanta.
Porsche has also come on board as a presenter and will bring a selection of its race cars.
In all, about 50 cars will line Queen Street, which will be emptied of regular vehicle traffic on Friday, Aug. 9.
The day will begin at 9 a.m. with a kids car rally where youngsters “will be able to rent little Mercedes, little McLarens and little Lambos,” said Hurov.
There is a chance for only about 80 children to drive the little sports cars, she added, so parents must pre-register their kids on the Niagara 5000 website to avoid missing the opportunity.
Following that, the big guns will come out and the McLaren race car will be unveiled from its trailer in a dramatic show of power and excellence.
The event will officially start a day earlier an the opening night party at Peller Estates and, yes, McLarens and Porches will be there for viewing.
A number of TV personalities have also signed on to attend the gala: names such as veteran TV fashion journalist Jeanne Beker and ET Canada host and former MuchMusic VJ Rick Campenelli may ring a bell.
“Let’s showcase our region, especially this town, in a way that people are going to be talking about for years to come,” said Hurov.
Those conversations, she believes, will create more interest in the community as a place to visit and invest, and as she sees it now, NOTL could use a marketing boost, especially to attract more people on weekdays and in the off-season.
“When I see a building that has been for lease for a year, it makes me sad,” she said. “Why, when there is so much tourism here?”
“When I see businesses struggling in the winter months …” she said, pausing. “There is no reason for that.”
In fact, Hurov made a deliberate decision when it came to what days the Niagara 5000 will be held in order to offer local businesses the opportunity to earn big on what are normally slower business days.
“I strategically made the event for Thursday and Friday, so I can help support businesses because I know that while in the summer months we are busy, in mid-week it is still a lot slower than during the weekend.”
Many businesses on Queen Street have been incorporated into the event.
“The idea is that all the (partner) vendors will have some sort of car theme to them, so Carlotta (Il Gelato di Carlotta) is going to be serving orange gelato,” Hurov said, noting that orange is the official colour of McLaren.
“It’s All Fun and Games is going to be selling car-themed puzzles and the Reading Gym is going to be there,” she added, noting they’ve created a separate logo with the store’s mascot in a car.
“It’s all about supporting local business.”
