Jamboree Costs

[cdwscout]

How much are y'all's councils charging to go to 2013 Jambo? Our council is charging roughly $2,500 (including the $850 fee from national) to go (with a tour of DC). When I originally heard about it, I was hoping to go, but that is WAY out of my price range.

Thanks,
cdwscout

[Fred Johnson]

$2250.

To put it in perspective ....

- My 2nd son just did a school Washington DC trip for $800. Seven nights. Included Mt. Mt Vernon, Smithsonian (multiple), play at the Kennedy center, and many many activities. Bus travel and hotel lodging.

- My 1st son did the same trip several years ago through the same school for $650. His Jamboree was $2200. His comment was that the school DC tour was more comprehensive and more fun (as they had whole afternoons of freedom to explore different areas).

- Another local school uses a tour company and their Washington DC trip is $1500.

- I can send two sons to Sea Base (travel included) for the same cost as going to one Jamboree. Hmmm....

- Most of our troop camp outs are $25 and summer camp is $225. Doing every troop event for seven years from age 11 thru the end of age 17 is $3325. BUT one Jamboree is 2/3rds the cost of the whole troop scouting experience.

- One of my co-workers did Jamboree 40+ years ago. His group took a train down, toured on their own and then did Jamboree for a fairly reasonable cost. Not sure numbers.

So if national charges $850 for Jamboree (not really sure), the council is tacking on another $1400 for the Washington DC tour (probably including a tour company). I'd rather see our council take a bus non-stop to and from the Jamboree directly, probably around $200 a scout and work to keep the cost under $1200.

[VenturingL]

Circle Ten is more than that for youth:

"The fee of $2700 for youth and $2200 for adults includes the National BSA Jamboree fee which covers the expense of program material, food, insurance, equipment, duffel bag, and two activity shirts as well as the use of a tent and cot. Also included is all air and ground transportation while on the scheduled contingent tour, all food and hotel accommodations, troop numerals, two Jamboree patches, nametags and some troop equipment."

They fly into New York, do some sightseeing, take bus to Washington D.C. next day, then on to Summit.

Crew was excited about Venturers getting to go as participants, but $$ stopped that cold.

[wagionvigil]

Circle Ten is more than that for youth:

"The fee of $2700 for youth and $2200 for adults includes the National BSA Jamboree fee which covers the expense of program material, food, insurance, equipment, duffel bag, and two activity shirts as well as the use of a tent and cot. Also included is all air and ground transportation while on the scheduled contingent tour, all food and hotel accommodations, troop numerals, two Jamboree patches, nametags and some troop equipment."

They fly into New York, do some sightseeing, take bus to Washington D.C. next day, then on to Summit.

Crew was excited about Venturers getting to go as participants, but $$ stopped that cold.

tent and cot are furnished by the Jamboree Now. All equipment will be there upon arrival including all required kitchen items,Picnic tables and tarps.

[Billiken]

Remember, councils build in a profit margin (some in 15% area) in their contingent costs.

Also they figure in the costs of staff processing application and council staff attending the Jamboree.

All this said, I am dismayed how inflated the costs are, especially for some councils within easy driving distance to WV.

[scoutaholic]

How much are y'all's councils charging to go to 2013 Jambo? Our council is charging roughly $2,500 (including the $850 fee from national) to go (with a tour of DC). When I originally heard about it, I was hoping to go, but that is WAY out of my price range.

Thanks,
cdwscout

Great Salt Lake Council is charging $3000 - includes Jambo and tour of NY, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, DC & other unspecified locations.
Utah National Parks Council has 4 options:
$2295 - Jambo and pre-tour of Niagra Falls, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Baltimore, Washington DC, and LDS church history sites in NY & PA.
$2495 - Jambo and post-tour of Washington DC, Gettysburg, Hershey, and LDS church history sites in NY, PA, & OH
$2065 - Jambo and short tour of DC
$2295 - Venturing Jambo and pre-tour as above
Trapper Trails Council is charging $2650 - no info online about what that pays for.

[cdwscout]

Wow... I thought my council was on the expensive side... Are all national jamborees this much? What about the world jamborees?

Thanks,
cdwscout

[wagionvigil]

The cost of the Jamboree for a youth is 850.00 everything else is added by your council.

[Fred Johnson]

Specifically for those that work Jamborees and know more that I do...

wagionvigil and others - How do you feel about the council $2250 to $3000 cost for Jamborees? It must drive scouts away.

Council prices - My apologies if I'm glib, but it just does not seem "thrifty" to spend another $1400 to $2000 on top of the national price of $850 for the privilege to camp for ten days.

National $850 price - Our week long summer camp with high adventure (white water, climbing, mountain biking, etc) only costs $290 AND THEY PAY THEIR STAFF. Volunteers mostly staff the Jamboree and have to pay big bucks to help. Volunteer price is $800 ??? Now I understand national throws in a tent, cot and camp gear under $850 umbrella price. I don't think $850 is horribly bad, but it still sounds a bit pricey. Better be darn good food.

[wagionvigil]

Travel expenses! Tours, Hotels or whatever there all add into the cost. Our guys will be going straight down about a 3 hour drive and I believe our cost is around 1200.00. On the way back they are going to DC. You also have the mandatory shake down weekend which cost $ Each of our scouts get a good many JSP's plus other patches from the service center. Personally I do not think a council should be allowed to make a penny on an event like this.I used to do a weekly school ski trip to a local Ski resort on a week evening. Each bus would cost better than 300.00 And at the jamboree the buses do not stay they leave and come back 10 days later and that cost.

[Fred Johnson]

Do councils prices include the cost to send council professionals to the jamborees?

[wagionvigil]

not ours they pay their own way and must take vacation time.

[scoutaholic]

Do councils prices include the cost to send council professionals to the jamborees?

Yes - and to rent a fancy red sports car instead of riding on the bus with the scouts.

[scoutaholic]

Specifically for those that work Jamborees and know more that I do...

wagionvigil and others - How do you feel about the council $2250 to $3000 cost for Jamborees? It must drive scouts away.

I'm sure there are many scouts excluded by the prices. When I mentioned that to the council Jambo chairman in GSLC, his response was something like, "I don't care about those kids who can't afford it. We have always done it this way, and have always filled our contingent."

Council prices - My apologies if I'm glib, but it just does not seem "thrifty" to spend another $1400 to $2000 on top of the national price of $850 for the privilege to camp for ten days.

Thrifty is not a part of their Jambo planning. Being West of the Rockies, they assume that this is a 'once in a lifetime' chance for the boys to see the Eastern US. It is somehow their duty to spend an additional 10+ days touring historical sights and filling the kids heads with history lessons. Those tours they plan are anything but thrifty. (4-star hotels, fancy restaurants, etc.)

When I wanted to take my boys to Jambo, I didn't want to pay the council to plan a long tour. I wanted to go to Jambo, and if there was a tour I wanted it with my family, not with 40000 scouts. I called the 5 nearest councils (2 of those out of state) and only found one that was willing to give me that option. I made my own flight arrangements for less than the council/travel agent got the group flight rates. I still had to pay $1500 to council. Accounting for the $850 that went to national, I paid council $650 for 2 nights in a DC hotel, ground transport, food/subway pass for 1 day in DC, a set of patches, a hat, 2 shirts, 2 duffel bags, a backpack, a waterbottle, a nametag, some iron-on clothing labels, 3 pre-jambo troop gatherings, and use of council equipment (tents, awnings, tables, stoves, etc.) at Jambo.

National $850 price - Our week long summer camp with high adventure (white water, climbing, mountain biking, etc) only costs $290 AND THEY PAY THEIR STAFF. Volunteers mostly staff the Jamboree and have to pay big bucks to help. Volunteer price is $800 ??? Now I understand national throws in a tent, cot and camp gear under $850 umbrella price. I don't think $850 is horribly bad, but it still sounds a bit pricey. Better be darn good food.

Our council pays staff and the week-long camps are still just over $100/boy (without council food) or $175/boy with food included.

The National fee didn't go up when they decided to supply all the troop equipment. Not sure how the budget works for that one. I know they plan to offer much of the equipment for sale at the end of Jambo, but they have forbidden trucks, so nobody will have a way to take the equipment home. Hope they figure out a better way to do that one.

The food at Jambo 2010 was fairly good, but not $850 good. I think most of the money goes for activity equipment/supplies and facilities. (and probably some national BSA profit as well. How do you think they pay the national BSA president $1.3 million/year?)
Outhouse rentals cost about $70-100/day. They probably had 500+ of them rented for 2 weeks. And they also had to have showers, food preparation, garbage, medical, lunch, etc.
Activity centers had bikes, guns, bows, mountain boards, scuba tanks, climbing gear, etc., etc.

[wagionvigil]

ya got most correct. Some things I learned this weekend. That equipment will be sold Pre Jamboree and it will be shipped.

I agree that Transportation is the big thing in the cost.

The bus expenses at the jamboree will be staggering. The Visitors parking lot is 4 miles from the Jamboree and everyone will be bused into Jamboree Central. All staff will be parked OFF site and bused to staff sub camp. All staff will be walking . For my staff that means 3 miles in the morning 3 miles at night.

If you cannot go out and walk at least 5 miles you will be in trouble. It is very hilly in the mountains. For instance from the bottom of the hill at Staff housing to the Staff area it's self is a 200' Altitude gain.
I do have pictures But I am not allowed to post them
Ya all have my email lol

[razor_strop]

If you cannot go out and walk at least 5 miles you will be in trouble. It is very hilly in the mountains.

(from another post) Yes they are planning for the handicapped scouts to participate.

Wagion, how do they plan to reconcile the above statements?

[wagionvigil]

There will be special things to deal with those challenges. Like any troop with a handicapped scout will be in one area so they can be picked up? and be gotten around. This is something that they are working on. This is not for those that cannot meet BMI etc. there will not be Big Wigs riding around in SUV's they will walk like everyone else. Right now there are 10 gators for program support. Like moving equipment etc. Not to haul people around.
Does this help?

[RWSmith]

Right now there are 10 gators for program support. Like moving equipment etc. Not to haul people around.

Now, that's something I've always wanted to see!!!

I mean, heck... I've seen pack horses, mules... even camels!!!

BUT, NEVER HAVE I SEEN A "PACK GATOR"! -- Is there a badge for that?!

[Fred Johnson]

Our council pays staff and the week-long camps are still just over $100/boy (without council food) or $175/boy with food included.

Our council week long camp with food is $225. Add off-site high adventure (white water rafting, climbing, mountain biking, ...) and it goes to $290. Still a very good deal.

Our troop every few years runs an extra week long "moderate" adventure camp / touring trip. We can do that trip for around $110 a scout. Biggest cost, after food, is fuel for boats if we do water sports too.

My son's school did eight days and seven night DC trip for $850.

My oldest son did Sea Base for $1200. (and they have some cool boats that consume a lot of gas)

That's the only reason that $2250 sounds huge. I could take my family of six to DC for a week at that cost.

[Billiken]

Buckeye Council, Canton, OH
(approximately 250 miles to The Summit.)
http://www.buckeyecouncil.org/Program/A ... %20Service

Leaving Canton the day the Jambo starts.
Returning home the day the Jambo ends.
(No touring.)

$1,400

Ridiculous.