A classic car show in El Cajon could be hitting the road.

After hearing a staff report that questioned whether the Cajon Classic Cruise was worth its cost, City Council members last week agreed to hold a workshop to discuss the future of the event, with moving it to another location as one option.

No one on the council or the city staff support ending the car show, but they are open to finding better ways to manage it or move it, possibly to a parking lot at the Parkway Plaza shopping mall about 3 miles away from the cruises current home on Main Street.

City Manager Graham Mitchell said downtown businesses have complained for years about parking problems during the event, held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays from April to October. A survey found only restaurants appear to have any financial gain from the cruise.

Mitchell said a survey of Main Street businesses taken several months ago found most were a little bit in disfavor of the car show, and many said they close early during the event.

The funding source for the event also is uncertain.

The city established a Property-Based Improvement District in 2015 to support downtown improvements through targeted assessments on property owners within the district, and some of its funds go to the car show.

Mitchell said the district must be renewed next year, and a survey of the assessed property owners has left him unsure if they will vote for it to continue.

The Downtown El Cajon Business Partners is contracted with managing the funds from the district and coordinating various initiatives, including the car show.

In a report on the districts finances Tuesday, Mitchell said the car cruise costs between $72,000 and $80,600, which is 35 percent of the districts money for economic enhancement or 13 percent of its entire budget.

Is there a better way to mitigate its impact on businesses? Mitchell said. Is there a better way to invest $70,000 that would have a better return on investments? Has the car show lived out its usefulness?”

Mayor Bill Wells suggested the council hold a workshop to discuss options and cautioned against rushing to a decision.

I am uncomfortable with the idea of completely eliminating the car show, he said. Its a staple of El Cajon, and we all know how angry people are about the loss of the Mother Goose Parade.

The parade had been an El Cajon tradition since 1947, but has not been held since the pandemic turned it into a temporary virtual event in 2020.

Councilmember Michelle Metschel proposed moving the car show to Parkway Plaza, which she saw as a way of solving the downtown parking issue while also reinvigorating the mall.

Weve already had at least one business that I know of that left downtown, and thats El Cajon Guitars and Music, she said. They had indicated to me that they were losing business because of the car show.

Mitchell said moving the car show to Parkway Plaza would make it no longer eligible for funding from the Property-Based Improvement District.

On the other hand, Mitchell said holding the event in a parking lot would be less costly than on city streets, and Metschel suggested the mall also could chip in.

Councilmember Steve Goble said the city should not rule out moving the event to a different location, and he noted there are several large lots such as the courthouse that could accommodate it after hours.

Sheri Hendrickson, who helped organize the cruise for four years, said the event would lose its character if it were moved to a parking lot.

“The Parkway Plaza parking lot?” she said after hearing of the proposal. “Good Lord. It’s not going to be the same.”

Hendrickson said there already are many events for people to look at parked classic cars, but few opportunities to see them cruise.

“This is a dying thing,” she said. “We don’t want it to die. We want to keep this alive. We want to get the kids and the young people part of it.”

As for the businesses that complain about parking, she said they instead should take advantage of the hundreds of people who are on the street during the event.

“Instead of being negative about it, maybe try to embrace it for one day and be nice and inviting, and maybe get people to come into your business,” she said.

Downtown El Cajon Business Partners Board Treasurer Cathy Zeman spoke to council members Tuesday and also said outreach to businesses could be productive.

There are so many people on Main Street walking around during the car show, and maybe its on us to educate the different shop owners as to how that could benefit them, she said.

Zeman suggested working with merchants who could do promotions and special deals during the car show, which could bring in more customers and make the cruise a better experience for them.