'It's a segregated event," said Gibson. "The faster it leaves, the better."
Gibson, who said he had Street's support on these issues, even went so far as to say that he might not mind if rowers were badgered enough to abandon Boathouse Row altogether.
"There's going to be restaurants down there," Gibson said at one point.
"Does the City Council want to shut down Boathouse Row and build restaurants?" asked Davis Green, Mayor Rendell's representative on the
commission.
"It's an option," Gibson replied. When pushed for a more definite answer, he said: "Yes and no."
Gibson later engaged in a harsh back-and-forth with Jack Galloway, president of the Dad Vail Regatta, over whether Galloway had done enough to include minorities in the event.
Galloway, who has recently been involved in efforts to create rowing programs for city youngsters, said the regatta was open to any college in North America. He said specific questions about the race of competitors were not asked.
"I think that's a long-winded way of saying you ain't done nothing," Gibson replied.
"I don't know if that deserves a response," Galloway said.
Gibson then asked again what Galloway had done to get minorities in the regatta.
"I'm not here for a cross-examination," Galloway said.
"Well, sit down," Gibson replied sharply.
Other commission members gasped and immediately began apologizing for Gibson's behavior.
Galloway said all schools with rowing programs were invited to compete in the regatta. He agreed yesterday to a request to expand that list to encourage other schools to enter. Galloway noted that predominantly black Howard University had competed for several years until its rowing program was cut.
Regatta organizers also pointed out that three of the six vendors who will be at the regatta are at least partly minority-owned.
