From the easy solutions department...There has been debate over the true cost of underwriting the logistical costs of anyone who wants to rent the Fairgrounds for a concert. Some say it promotes culture and economic development. I have said they are commercial enterprises operating on public property and should pay a market rate....
Here's another solution. Charge the promoter the true cost of the staging the event for all the public works and public safety costs....That would give the public the transparency needed to judge these events.
Then to continue the subsidies, the City Council can appropriate grants to promoters to cover those costs.
Therefore a concert that costs $22,546 for the city would be billed and the promoter would be given the grant money to pay his bill.
This way , those who think it should be free are satisfied, but lawmakers would have to own up to what they are spending.
Now this may not be what I think should be done, but it would be a more transparent way for some lawmakers to continue doing what they are doing.
11 comments:
Lets do that with the library too.
So if the true cost averages $3,000 per library card, the council could give grants to people as they obtain library cards. That would give the public the transparency needed to judge the library. Some say it promotes culture...I say it is just a cheapskate way to get out of buying your own copies of books.
One thing I am confident of...the "market rate" and how much it costs the city to do it, are not likely to be the same number or even close to one another.
I agree with you that “for-profit” events should pay the market rate for venue use and services for events held on City grounds. These events are meant to generate profits for the promoters and artists, and that profit isn’t shared with the taxpayer. Neither should the cost of hosting the event be shared with the taxpayer, either directly by providing free services such as clean-up and security, or indirectly through the use of grants, which are nothing more that tax dollars “once removed”.
Why not just come up with a “Special Event Required Services Fee” schedule for all “for-profit” events? The City could provide, in addition to the venue, certain required event services such as security, parking, ticket handling, maintenance, concessions, event insurance, etc. at published fees tied to the market and the size and nature of the event, or the promoter could secure the services themselves from appropriate reputable sources. Let the promoter decide whose services to use. If they use the City’s, they’ll know what those services will cost, and if they choose to use an outside source, make them provide the services contracts prior to allowing the event to be scheduled.
Is there some reason the City can’t do this? It would seem to me that this would help alleviate some of the apparent confusion and frustration that I’ve seen expressed lately.
How come this concert was announced months ago and he doesn't even have permission to hold it at the fairgrounds yet?
To fund the library start a library district.
Fund the Libary by taking your kids away from Playsation and TV to let them read. While there throw a few dollars in a jar. Quit letting the baysitter (TV) take care of your kids.
Ditto on the announcement vs. permission question. Somebody answer that one. Is this a case of the promoter assuming that public grounds are available to them whenever they want? Or did the city give Amp Entertainment a go-ahead and some point and are now trying to renig on the deal? Either way, the promoter should foot the bill and all services related to the event including traffic management, trash, wear and tear to the facilities/grounds, and concessionaires. If it were a NFP endeavor I would feel differently.
He was given permission to run it through Parks and Recs. You see where that gets you. DPAO gets everything rubber stamped, Amp Entertainment does not. Quite the double standard going on here. DPAO really messed up the Hip show and now everyone else is paying.
"The city is keeping a close eye on all concerts at the fairgrounds following problems at a June 24 Tragically Hip concert in which a city truck was taken and later recovered. Some concert-goers also complained there were not enough portable toilets and some people urinated outside."
Promoters already cover security, ticket handling, event insurance, and much more. The Fair committee handles concession.
There is a proposal before the counsel that addresses the issues of the June 24 DPAO show.
All DPAO events are "commercial endeavorers"
Hey LA, Shouldn't the City complaint be with DPAO and their Security Director? He called all his friends to act as gate guards...................... well you know the rest. I'll never go to another DPAO event.
Actually DPAO has volunteer security and highly paid and well trained security. Its funny how all this is happening since parks and rec can't keep their books and DPAO has been a scapegoat for all involved. Start pointing fingers @ them!
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