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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Washington Gov. orders lottery to return Mercedes Washington Lottery: Washington Gov. orders lottery to return Mercedes51 Rating:OLYMPIA, Wash. — Plans for a lottery promotion van in Washington have been scratched after Gov. Chris Gregoire ordered the the state lottery to take the Mercedes-Benz back to the dealer. The lottery had big plans for the new "lotto mobile," and planned to model it after a van used by Virginia to promote its state lottery. (See $49,000 Mercedes is Washington Lottery's marketing tool, Lottery Post, Oct. 3, 2011.) State lottery officials planned to drive the van to events across the state to boost sales of lottery tickets. But the cost of the van and the name Mercedes-Benz caused the governor to send a strongly-worded letter to Lottery Director Bill Hanson. "I believe the purchase is inappropriate for state government and I am thereby directing you to sell the van and ensure that you recoup all costs," Gregoire wrote. "The idea that the state is ... purchasing a Mercedes-Benz to drive around the state, retrofitting it to $95,000 price tag is just not appropriate," Gregoire said in an interview on Tuesday. The lottery itself admits the price tag is closer to $125,000. But what about the governor's $95,000 trip to the Paris Air Show? "My trip to Paris brought home millions of dollars in contracts," Gregoire said. Lottery officials say they agree about using state money wisely. "The purchase of a Mercedes-Benz flies in the face of that," said Arlen Harris with the state lottery. Even though the van and its upgrades were going to cost about $125,000, lottery officials believed they were going to be able to recoup that cost and more. They estimated up to $200,000 in increased sales every year. While much of the focus is on the brand name of the van, if the state had purchased it a year ago it would have a Dodge emblem on the hood instead of Mercedes-Benz. In the last year, Mercedes-Benz took over sales of that model. "Essentially they're the same vehicles all the way around," said Casey Johnson, manager of Rainier Dodge. "The only difference that you really have is the Mercedes emblem." But as the governor says, driving a Mercedes sends the wrong message. There was no word yet from the Lynnwood Mercedes-Benz dealer on whether the state will get all of its money back. KOMO We'd love to see your comments here! Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment. 21 comments. Last comment 2 years ago by . United States Member #71625 February 19, 2009 890 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2011, 5:57 pm - IP Logged | |
When they start treating their players right they wouldnt have to worry about sales getting soft.....Hey all states Lotterys take lessons from Georgia,I wish she ran all of them. | | |
PA United States Member #66644 October 16, 2008 1280 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2011, 6:53 pm - IP Logged | |
Why would anyone have to apologize for driving a Mercedes! Oh .......... because the Greed of Envy crowd would whine ........ even without the cheeze !!!  Ima gonna win Powermillions !!!!!!  | | |
United States Member #52818 May 21, 2007 1373 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2011, 6:54 pm - IP Logged | |
lol I tink if they had bought the dodge and or freightliner version ... it might've slipped under the radar | | |
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Spring United States Member #74022 April 16, 2009 8 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 6, 2011, 7:33 pm - IP Logged | |
Why would anyone have to apologize for driving a Mercedes! Oh .......... because the Greed of Envy crowd would whine ........ even without the cheeze !!! Ima gonna win Powermillions !!!!!! I really didn't know what was so bad about it either. I thought it was a neat idea. I like the idea of "lotto mobile". I think it's amusing. Texas Lottery doesn't do too much neat stuff like that. Not that I know of anyhow. | | |
Massachusetts United States Member #37842 April 14, 2006 968 Posts Online | | Posted: October 6, 2011, 11:32 pm - IP Logged | |
This is so embarrasing. Maybe the governor wants to put his face a little in the media so he decides to do/undo this. I thought the idea of buying tickets from a van is a little exciting. I sure would have bought some if it happened to pass by Tacoma, where I visit once in a while. | | |
United States Member #32929 February 12, 2006 615 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 7, 2011, 1:43 am - IP Logged | |
its called marketing budget. radio stations have Radio vans that go place to place, why not lottery. their none thing wrong with this, hell i take more of a issue with million buck plus crap tv ads as a biger waste! in marketing budget then i do a van at lest. | | |
United States Member #60310 March 28, 2008 11461 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 7, 2011, 2:56 am - IP Logged | |
The state should have a raffle/scratch ticket for the van. I would buy 5 tickets for a buck ea. (provided the proceeds pay the cost of the van). It would be a good promotion for the lottery for x-mas. Washington already has small suv's used by service reps and they are butt ugly . Tacoma Toyota would have be the correct choice. Money green with plenty of umbrellas and starbucks logo.  Add another game Washington ! Pick 4 ! Pick 4 ! Besides everyone knows I-5 is a sea of used Honda's and Lexus 300's . Go Huskies | | |
Housekeeper MICHIGAN United States Member #82269 October 28, 2009 13154 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 7, 2011, 10:05 am - IP Logged | |
its called marketing budget. radio stations have Radio vans that go place to place, why not lottery. their none thing wrong with this, hell i take more of a issue with million buck plus crap tv ads as a biger waste! in marketing budget then i do a van at lest. Radio stations are private sector businesses they can do what they want with their money, the lotteries are government run and the wages, pensions, lunches, travel perks, credit cards, pens, pencils, paper, sticky notes, are paid for with tax dollars. Now even though most lotteries are self supporting, thats not the way it's structured, the people who work for the lotteries are state employees and it's not okay for them to spend tax dollars on whims and wants. | | |
United States Member #32929 February 12, 2006 615 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 8, 2011, 4:19 am - IP Logged | |
Radio stations are private sector businesses they can do what they want with their money, the lotteries are government run and the wages, pensions, lunches, travel perks, credit cards, pens, pencils, paper, sticky notes, are paid for with tax dollars. Now even though most lotteries are self supporting, thats not the way it's structured, the people who work for the lotteries are state employees and it's not okay for them to spend tax dollars on whims and wants. its called marketing budget sully , what do you think radio vans are doing. joy riding around? its to promote their station ofc go stay pissed off at Hoosier Lottery admits new office too lavish , thousand dollars for mirrors, ya now thats whims and wants, a van used not to joy ride around the state, but to promote their lottery, is a valid use of money
i guest you don't take issue with millions spent on bill boards, on tv ad marketing, but god forbid they have a lottery vech go around marketing? noooo now their crossing some line , now where into "whims and wants" i guest you can't make everyone happy thro
the sec someone buys a van to go around the state NOT marketing , not To promote the lottery, now that would be Bad you are right about 1 thing, their not even tax dollars, lottery 100%, self funded thro lottery sells, not a single tax dollar is ever spent onless you count , STARTING cost of a new lottery. but noooooooooooo, you have a issue with them spending money they earned thro free market of me buying their lottery tickets, to have van go to places and market more lottery goods, i guest a lot of people just don't understand, marketing cost a lot of money. god forbid they spend a little on a van rofl. you people crack me up washington gover just making a show , its what useless people do in govt office house, how dare you spend money marketing a van around lottery workers! , what a waste, i demand you return it at once!, he just trying to buy votes, marketing him self as a Good govt worker,who keeps spending under control 1 thing, when spending to promote your lottery that MAKES profit, cutting on their marketing not best idea, but thats govt at work, cutting things that help promote funds for state, but god forbid they fire all govt leechs maybe cease am more of a business minded person, and a van marketing something sold around the state makes makes so much more sense to me business have a marketing budget, and they use it to market, i dont know why anyone pissed off at them using MARKETING funds to, gosh market them selfs! cease in point, http://www.flickr.com/photos/93779577@N00/3347084685/lightbox/ | | |
United States Member #32929 February 12, 2006 615 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 8, 2011, 4:58 am - IP Logged | |
15 mins passed, so could not update my post to make a even bigger point if i was a ceo, and was given millions per year to market the lottery with know what i buy, and really piss you off? a freaking blimp, think the goodyear blimp you see hangin around football i have this thing fly over ever major public event in the state, displaying powerball, mega millions amounts too! it be know as Lottery Blimp! now sure it cost a ton, but if works for goodyear it work for lottery marketing depertment! hell i take major winners on a ride if they want, now that be a way to market your lottery., have a media setup via labtop etc, , ask the winner questions live via the net. and get a cam/live video feed of their replys to your questions as their taking a ride on the Lottery blimp! yes i just turned blimp into a winner reward and made it marketing dreams to boot. give me marketing money, and i have you people who get pissed off about it into raving mad status, as i got all kinds of creative ways to market the lottery then just a van LOL | | |
Keokuk,Iowa United States Member #116524 September 12, 2011 143 Posts Online | | Posted: October 8, 2011, 8:15 am - IP Logged | |
its called marketing budget sully , what do you think radio vans are doing. joy riding around? its to promote their station ofc go stay pissed off at Hoosier Lottery admits new office too lavish , thousand dollars for mirrors, ya now thats whims and wants, a van used not to joy ride around the state, but to promote their lottery, is a valid use of money
i guest you don't take issue with millions spent on bill boards, on tv ad marketing, but god forbid they have a lottery vech go around marketing? noooo now their crossing some line , now where into "whims and wants" i guest you can't make everyone happy thro
the sec someone buys a van to go around the state NOT marketing , not To promote the lottery, now that would be Bad you are right about 1 thing, their not even tax dollars, lottery 100%, self funded thro lottery sells, not a single tax dollar is ever spent onless you count , STARTING cost of a new lottery. but noooooooooooo, you have a issue with them spending money they earned thro free market of me buying their lottery tickets, to have van go to places and market more lottery goods, i guest a lot of people just don't understand, marketing cost a lot of money. god forbid they spend a little on a van rofl. you people crack me up washington gover just making a show , its what useless people do in govt office house, how dare you spend money marketing a van around lottery workers! , what a waste, i demand you return it at once!, he just trying to buy votes, marketing him self as a Good govt worker,who keeps spending under control 1 thing, when spending to promote your lottery that MAKES profit, cutting on their marketing not best idea, but thats govt at work, cutting things that help promote funds for state, but god forbid they fire all govt leechs maybe cease am more of a business minded person, and a van marketing something sold around the state makes makes so much more sense to me business have a marketing budget, and they use it to market, i dont know why anyone pissed off at them using MARKETING funds to, gosh market them selfs! cease in point, http://www.flickr.com/photos/93779577@N00/3347084685/lightbox/ You have completly missed the point.Nobody really cares if the Washington state lottery uses a van to promote the lottery.What they object to is buying a foreign made van at a $49,000 price tag and then retrofitting the van to the tune of $95,000.There are MILLIONS of Americans out of work and the Washington lottery nitwits spend $49,000 on a MERCEDES van when a Ford van would do just as well for less than 1/2 the price.It's the government spending money foolishly again,or should I say STILL.If you don't see whats wrong with this picture then you deserve the government that you are getting. | | |
United States
Member #69214
December 28, 2008
301 Posts
Offline
| | Posted: October 8, 2011, 4:30 pm - IP Logged | |
15 mins passed, so could not update my post to make a even bigger point if i was a ceo, and was given millions per year to market the lottery with know what i buy, and really piss you off? a freaking blimp, think the goodyear blimp you see hangin around football i have this thing fly over ever major public event in the state, displaying powerball, mega millions amounts too! it be know as Lottery Blimp! now sure it cost a ton, but if works for goodyear it work for lottery marketing depertment! hell i take major winners on a ride if they want, now that be a way to market your lottery., have a media setup via labtop etc, , ask the winner questions live via the net. and get a cam/live video feed of their replys to your questions as their taking a ride on the Lottery blimp! yes i just turned blimp into a winner reward and made it marketing dreams to boot. give me marketing money, and i have you people who get pissed off about it into raving mad status, as i got all kinds of creative ways to market the lottery then just a van LOL  You are absolutely right.
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United States Member #85085 January 7, 2010 81 Posts Offline | | Posted: October 9, 2011, 3:35 pm - IP Logged | |
You have completly missed the point.Nobody really cares if the Washington state lottery uses a van to promote the lottery.What they object to is buying a foreign made van at a $49,000 price tag and then retrofitting the van to the tune of $95,000.There are MILLIONS of Americans out of work and the Washington lottery nitwits spend $49,000 on a MERCEDES van when a Ford van would do just as well for less than 1/2 the price.It's the government spending money foolishly again,or should I say STILL.If you don't see whats wrong with this picture then you deserve the government that you are getting. A lot of people missed the lottery's point.
They modeled this after the Virginia van. Submitted everything.
Mercedes changed the emblems on the van.
Mercedes was the parent company all along. If they had got approval last year, the same van would say dodge.
They didn't do anything wrong. | | |
Ridge Runner - Oracle of the Appalachians Way back up in them dadgum hills, son! United States Member #74415 April 28, 2009 12464 Posts Online | | Posted: October 9, 2011, 7:32 pm - IP Logged | |
A lot of people missed the lottery's point.
They modeled this after the Virginia van. Submitted everything.
Mercedes changed the emblems on the van.
Mercedes was the parent company all along. If they had got approval last year, the same van would say dodge.
They didn't do anything wrong. That musta been the van at the Bristol Rythm & Roots Fest last year where I got all the Chinese junk trinkets that advertised the Va Lottery. The van didn't seem to attract much attention, half the time the 3 broads were looking pretty bored with nothing to do. I went up and bought a couple tickets (both losers) and they gave me a pile of junk Chinese trinkets. The broads were nice and friendly and everything but they should probably hire younger broads instead of letting the lottery execs wives work there. They can double-dip without getting their wives involved, I'm sure. What they should really do though is a joint promotion with Budweiser and get some beer taps in that window and then they'll see crowds and they'll see the ticket sales take off too. Maybe the broads could dance a little bit too. I'll never forget old whats-his-name...
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