SPOKANE - Neighbor, c'mon over.

A pair of Diamond Cup Regatta organizers with an H1 Unlimited hydroplane in tow pulled into downtown Spokane Wednesday to extend an invite. Why? Because fans of 200 mph hydro racing set to return to Lake Coeur d'Alene Labor Day weekend should come from all walks, if not states.

So what say you, Spokane? How does a short trip east sound for the long, hot holiday weekend?

"Coeur d'Alene has the resource, the lake, the body of water to host it, but without the support of the city of Spokane, there wouldn't be a Diamond Cup," Doug Miller, Diamond Cup board chairman, told Spokane Mayor David Condon shortly before giving the second-year mayor a bottle of champagne.

The champagne bottle was tough to break, but when it did it soaked the bottom of Condon's pants. That's not what the mayor had in mind for a midday press conference, but accept the invite he did.

"Wow," Condon said, looking at the H1 Unlimited hydroplane "Miss Spokane" that Miller and Diamond Cup board member John Stone parked outside the Spokane Convention Center as a backdrop to the public invitation. "I'll see you out there."

Actually, Condon has roots in North Idaho, with property in Hayden and family ties to the area that stretch back into the 1930s, he said. So it will be easy for him to get to the races, Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.

Miller and Stone stopped by Spokane to promote the event because when the races flourished in the Lake City back in the 1960s, it was just as popular with Spokanites as it was with locals.

"Back then, the people of Spokane looked at it as their races," Stone said.

And every good boat, even the ones 15 feet wide that can hit 200 mph, needs a good christening. That's when Miller and Stone handed Condon the bottle, which took several whacks against the boat trailer. Once, twice, three times, until finally they handed the mayor a hammer to cheat. With one more good swing the bottle broke, christening both the boat and the bottom of the mayor's pants.

"This is the first time I've done one of these," Condon said sheepishly.

Didn't matter. The invitation stood and was warmly accepted.