Doo-Wop Discussed

WILDWOOD ─ During the summer, a dialogue over the city’s future arose between the commissioners, and is ongoing.
Residents and second-home owners spoke out on both sides of the issue, including the 2018 city budget, and the direction of Wildwood.
Questions on city practices found themselves centered on the Doo-Wop culture and its place in Wildwood’s future.
Doo-Wop Preservation League President Dan MacElrevey addressed city officials Oct. 10, presenting the historical significance of Doo-Wop and its impact on today’s world.
According to MacElrevey, 2018 was an “excellent year at the museum,” with 2,000 visitors signing the guestbook at the Doo-Wop Museum, located across from Wildwoods Convention Center. Staffed by volunteers, the museum educates the public on the musical legacy in Wildwood.
According to a recent release, the 1950s witnessed a “cultural explosion” after World War II, as families took vacations that “were spent along the sun-splashed beaches of the Southern Jersey Shore.” Coming from Philadelphia and beyond, families continued to build on the shore experience.
Musical greats such as Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell performed in Wildwood throughout their careers.
MacElrevey told commissioners that Doo-Wop has a “dollar value,” as tourists from Canada, Australia, and Europe visit the city in the summer and autumn months. Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses benefit from the exposure.
Online hotel booking has also increased. MacElrevey said that county statistics show 60 percent of bookers want to visit areas that “bring back memories of youth” or their parent’s youth.
According to MacElrevey, what Art Deco is to South Beach, Fla., Doo-Wop is to Wildwood, and can aid the city in its growth and development.
GWTIDA (Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority) Marketing Director Ben Rose concurred with MacElrevey’s statements.
Rose told commissioners that the twin themes of mid-century architecture and Doo-Wop culture “add value” to Wildwood. There were 123 feature stories written or broadcast in 2018, garnering $4 million in branding and marketing value.
ABC and PBS have run specials on Wildwood, as well as the Canadian Travel Channel. Travel writers for the Huffington Post and London Guardian have also featured articles on the city.
“We use Doo-Wop as an additional amenity,” Rose said.
“We want to hold on to our culture,” Rose said. Rose added that although Doo-Wop “does not define us (Wildwood),” it gives the city a marketing edge.
Volunteer Theresa Williams and resident Frank Nave testified of increased bus tours and the importance of the many cultures in Wildwood.
“I have four grandsons,” Nave told commissioners. “They come regularly. We are Wildwood. We’re blue collar.”
Mayor Ernie Troiano has previously commented on the priority of keeping Wildwood’s history alive and accessible to residents and guests.
Commissioner Peter Byron said the city should focus on attracting a younger demographic, namely millennials. Although he respects the Doo-Wop musical generation, Byron believes the city can’t build upon the past.
In response to the city’s alleged fixation with the Doo-Wop era, Troiano said what is old often becomes new again, using Cape May’s Victorian theme as an example.
“We (Wildwood) are still a fun-filled, family resort,” Hotel-Motel Association President Steve Tecco said.
Tecco thanked commissioners for hosting fall events which keep hotels and motels full during the “shoulder season,” and allow business owners to meet their financial obligations.
“The last week of September, you could not find a room,” Tecco said.
To contact Rachel Rogish, email rrogish@cmcherald.com.