Commercializing Geocaching?

[+cache_n_out]

Here's a local park district hosting an "event" and charging $10 to geocache.

 

http://www.co.greene.oh.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=306

 

Does that fall into the commercial category?

 

It might be ironic that Greene County Ohio has some of the most restrictive and onerous cache placement guidelines of any jurisdiction in the tristate area. HMMM, makes you wonder if the county wants to keep the spaces open for their OWN caching desires.....

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Event caches are allowed to charge a fee to recover expenses incurred, the last I knew.

 

This is a published Event Cache. Have you looked at the cache page?

Looks like there are quite a few planning on attending, and have already done so.

 

GC50PQB

Edited May 17, 2014 by Gitchee-Gummee

[Pup Patrol]

The Reviewer followed the Guidelines and published it.

 

The details are clearly stated on the cache page:

 

Registration opens at 10 am with pre–registration recommended. Forms can be found at http://www.gcparkstrails.com/pdfs/RegistrationForm.pdf or on our webpage at http://gcparkstrails.com. Admission is $10 per person 16 and older with the first 100 receiving a geocoin and goody bag; children up to the age of 15 are free.

 

We ask that you register in advance for this event. It will help us in planning purposes. We also understand that registration fees are not typical. This nominal fee is only to help offset some of the expenses of putting an event together.

 

Actually, registration fees for events and mega-events is typical. Registration packages, goody bags, coins, venue costs, etc, it all adds up.

 

Guidelines

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

Event Caches

 

Event Caches facilitate the social aspect of geocaching. They are organized by geocachers and are open to other geocachers. Events should take place at the posted coordinates and must include both a start time and end time. Events with several elements, a sequence of events, or events that are near the same time or location and intended for the same audience should be submitted as a single event. Additional waypoints may be added to the event listing for the locations of event activities.

 

Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date. Events are usually published no more than three months prior to the event date. Events may be published up to six months prior if an overnight stay is expected by attendees or if the event is designed to attract geocachers from beyond the local area. After an event has occurred, the listing is to be archived by the geocache owner.

 

An Event Cache should not be set up for the purpose of gathering geocachers for a geocache search. If an event is already organized outside of the geocaching community or it will happen without a Geocaching.com listing, it is likely not an Event Cache. Examples include concerts, fairs, sporting and scouting events.

 

Event Caches, like other geocaches, will only be published if they meet the commercial cache guideline. Geocache owners can include basic information about the location on the geocache page, even if it is a commercial location. Event listings may request donations or charge a fee to cover legitimate costs of the event. A list of sponsors, without logos or URLs, may be on an event listing. Event listings may only mention sales of event-related Geocaching.com trackables. Listings may include a link to a non-commercial event landing page. Attendees may be required to register at a separate registration page.

 

 

B.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Pup Patrol

[Keystone]

Thank you to those who correctly quoted the listing guideline provisions which the OP had overlooked.

 

On the titled issue of "commercialism," this is a Park System, not Disney World. We often see questions asking whether a park entrance fee is "commercial." Not if it's a government-run park system.

 

A few years ago while traveling through Cincinnati, I decided to visit a cache in a Hamilton County Park District property. When asked at the gate to pay an admission fee, I politely thanked the employee and made a U-turn. The OP could likewise choose not to attend the subject event.