Cobleskill-Richmondville’s prom won’t be afloat in a boat next spring.
School board members Monday night approved revised plans to have the May 16 prom at the Holiday Inn Express in Schoharie.
That’s a sharp turnaround from an outline presented in June that would have had the party on the Captain J.P., a ship sailing from Troy to Albany on the Hudson.
“This is quite different from what we presented last time,” said advisor Diana Spenello.
Student Sarah Philbrick said the Holiday Inn Express has a patio, can have the prom all on one floor and has no conflicts with other events on the same date.
Although they liked the idea, board members questioned whether the hotel was large enough.
But Ms. Spenello said the banquet area can fit 325, and the prom usually has only 250.
Also, she said, the only other option was SUNY Cobleskill. The only date available was a week before high school finals, which wasn’t appropriate.
Board members in June expressed concern about students partying on a ship on open water.
Those concerns were heightened by a drinking incident involving a few students at the 2008 prom in May.
That prompted school officials to insist that the ’09 prom be held in Schoharie County.
“This looks much better,” board member Howard Rickard said of the new plans.