Scottish Developer Chips In : Cash Is Scarce for Irvine’s Rose Parade Entry

They’re $90,000 short, but the people who are trying to make sure Irvine is represented at the big parade on New Year’s Day say things are looking rosy.

While it’s true that the Irvine Rose Parade Float Assn. has only $20,000 in contributions toward the $110,000 estimated cost of the city’s float, the group is moving ahead with plans to be represented in Pasadena Jan. 1.

“We’re really obstinate and have a can-do attitude,” association funding development co-chairman Ralph Rodheim said Monday morning during a press conference at the Irvine Hilton.

The association has received a $5,000 contribution commitment from the Irvine Development Corp. in Irvine’s unofficial sister city of Irvine, Scotland, and a $10,000 reduction on the cost of the float from Fiesta Float Co.

“We’re ready to prove we’re a quality community,” Rodheim said.

What designers call “very minor modifications”--including the elimination of a fog machine intended to enhance the “prehistoric wonders” theme of the float--have been made to reduce costs.

Full Regalia

A bagpipe player in full Scottish regalia was at the press conference for the announcement of the Scottish developer’s donation and local plans for the float.

Although it has yet to make a payment, the association has challenged the float’s designers to produce a sweepstakes-winning entry.

“Ultimately it comes down to whether the group has credibility, and this group has great credibility,” said Don Anderson, president of Fiesta Float Co. of Temple City, which designs about a third of the floats in the annual New Year’s Day parade.

“We can be somewhat flexible,” he said of the Irvine group’s uncertain finances.

The Irvine float is at the upper end of the scale in terms of both design and cost, according to Anderson. The average float costs its sponsors approximately $100,000, but budget floats can be produced for as little as $50,000, he said.

“It will be a gorgeous and unique float, especially for the first time out,” Anderson said. “We certainly think it’s worthy of the sweepstakes award. It is potentially prize-winning.”

The city of Santa Ana, which twice has won trophies, spent $80,000 on its prize-winning entry this year and will spend the same amount on the float for the 1987 parade.

To pay for what it hopes will be a prize-winning float, the Irvine group has outlined plans to once again approach several of the donors who had originally declined to participate.

The renewed fund-raising campaign will focus on gathering donations from small businesses within the community--such as realtor Hanu Reddy, who has given $1,001--and asking for smaller sums than originally sought from potential corporate donors. In addition to Reddy’s donation, the J.M. Peters Co., Fieldstone, ICN Pharmaceuticals and four other Irvine businesses have made donations of at least $1,000, according to Rodheim.

Officials of the Irvine Co., which was asked for a $20,000 donation and a $20,000 loan, said last month that the company has donated office space for the float organization but declined to give financial assistance.

The Irvine Co. will be directing its corporate contributions primarily toward programs for youth and the family, higher education and culture and the arts this year, according to company spokesman Tom Stephenson.

The Koll Co. also declined to contribute.

‘More Important Things’

“We just feel there are too many more important things to give to,” said Linda Lane, Koll’s executive vice president of administration.

“They were originally seeking a pretty sizable donation, anywhere from $5,000 on up,” said Joyce Zeimer, a spokeswoman for the company. According to Zeimer, many businesses like the Koll Co. “are being much more analytical and scrutinizing with donations--looking to give to areas that are really going to do something for the community.”

Rodheim contends that the float is not frivolous and gives the less fortunate, elderly and disabled members of the community something to participate in and be proud of.

In addition to funds solicited directly from businesses and individuals, the float association also hopes to raise $20,000 with a celebrity auction at the Irvine Marriott in November.