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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/5/2000 - STAFF REPORTS (14) DATE: April 5, 2000 TO: City Council FROM: Parks and Recreation Manager via Director, Department of Facilities PALM SPRINGS BIKE & HOTROD WEEKEND RECOMMENDATION: That City Council sponsorthe Palm Springs Bike&Hotrod Weekend, produced by Road Shows, Inc., and adopt a resolution suspending certain regulatory ordinances during the 2000 event. BACKGROUND: On February 24,2000, Recreation Division staff received a completed Special Event Application from Road Shows, Inc. This application indicated a desire by Road Shows, Inc. to conduct a motorcycle and hotrod show with related entertainment and exhibitions staged along Palm Canyon Drive in the city's Central Business District from October 20 through October 22, 2000. Road Shows, Inc. (RSI) requested the City's cooperation in staging the event but did not request any direct financial support from the City to produce the event.The RSI application was introduced to the Parks and Recreation Division by way of contacts in the Palm Springs Police Department, who had participated in similar events in the past. Shortly thereafter, on February 28, 2000, Recreation Division staff received another proposal and Special Event Application from Paul Casey Productions (PCP). This application requested City financial support and sponsorship for the 4" Annual Palm Springs Bike Weekend. This event, scheduled from October 13 through October 15, 2000, was proposed as a motorcycle-only show with related entertainment venues along Palm Canyon Drive in the Central Business District. In October 1999, the 3ftl Annual Palm Springs Bike Weekend, sponsored by PCP, was held on Palm Canyon Drive and necessitated closure of the street for the entire weekend. This event, although popular and well attended by the public, was improperly planned and managed by the promoter, according to post-event evaluations conducted by staff members of the Special Events Planning Team and the Palm Springs Police Department. Additionally, there was a significant level of dissatisfaction from several downtown merchants, specifically those located in the 300 and 400 blocks of North Palm Canyon Drive, concerning the manner in which the event was staged and conducted and how concerns were addressed throughout the event. An extensive list of these concerns and issues was presented to the promoter, PCP, during the post-event review meeting conducted on October 19, 1999. As two similar events were being proposed for consideration by the City and due to the wide variety of concerns expressed by the Main Street merchants group after the 1999 Palm Springs Bike Weekend event, staff felt obligated to discuss both proposals and their future with the Main Street group before proceeding further. Due to an extensive agenda on March 2, time ran short and the Main Street group decided to hold a special meeting the following week on March 9 to better review each proposal. At the March 9 meeting, each event producer made a brief presentation to the Main Street group regarding their particular event and their ability to produce their events as proposed. Staff asked the Main Street merchants to provide specific comments as to whether or not they supported having either event in the Central Business District and, if so, to what extent the street should be closed to accommodate each venue. Main Street merchants voiced support for both concepts in general based upon their impression that past events had grown to be quite popular among the local and tourist communities, and it was acknowledged that there seems to be a great potential for growth of this type of event for Palm Springs and all of Southern California. The Main Street block captain representing the 300 to 400 block of North Palm Canyon said there was a lack of support in her representative area for a street closure and recommended to the Board of Directors that any street closure be held south of Amado Road. Additionally, the block captain representing the southern portion of South Palm Canyon Drive, from Baristo Road to Ramon Road, indicated that merchants in that location do support a street closure and asked that this be considered during the approval process. Further discussions at this meeting related to a significant level of dissatisfaction regarding how PCP had conducted the 1999 Bike Weekend event and to what degree merchants in the 300 to 400 block of North Palm Canyon Drive were upset with management of the event. After extensive discussion, the Main Street Merchants Association voted to endorse and recommend approval to the Parks and Recreation Commission that an event of this type be conducted in the Central Business District, limit the street closure to that area south of Amado Road and extend the closure all the way to Ramon Road, if possible. Additionally, Main Street requested that a certain level of consideration and support be given to PCP's promoter for development of his 2000 event, as Main Street felt he had been instrumental in initially developing a motorcycle-theme event for the City of Palm Springs. Subsequent to Main Street's March 9 meeting, each event producer requested an opportunity to make a presentation to the Parks and Recreation Commission at the earliest possible date. On March 15, at its regularly scheduled meeting, the commission received information from representatives of both RSI and PCP regarding their respective events. The commission reviewed staff reports and the post-event evaluations from previous events held in 1997, 1998 and 1999 that were produced by PCP and weighed the content of that information against the merits of both proposed events for 2000 made by PCP and RSI. The Parks and Recreation Commission voiced understandable concerns regarding the fact that commission requests for post-event information specific to the financial accountability of the Palm Springs Bike Weekend held for the last three years had gone unaddressed by PCP. Information specific to charitable contributions, event income and expenses, event management, and requests forfinancial support from the City had never been made available by PCP as requested by the commission on two occasions.These issues,coupled with the fact that PCP is again requesting City financial support for the 2000 event, were not viewed favorably by the Parks and Recreation Commissioners. I rA*L Staff presented the commission with a brief event analysis for each of the two proposals under consideration and highlighted the visible differences between them for the commission's appraisal in conjunction with the evaluation performed specific to each promoter. The notable differences were as follows: • The City's hard costs for each event are estimated to be $20,000 each. RSI is offering to pay all costs in advance, while PCP is requesting a full waiver of all City hard costs. • RSI represented that it will manage the event with full-time company staff,while PCP indicated a reliance upon volunteers as for previous events. • RSI is proposing an event inclusive of motorcycles and specialty hotrods for a one-day closure of Palm Canyon Drive, while PCP is proposing a motorcycle- only event and a two-day street closure along Palm Canyon Drive. • RSI included a $10,000 deposit for services with its application; PCP did not submit a deposit of any type with its application. Based upon all available information provided to the Parks and Recreation Commission at its March 15 meeting, the commission, by unanimous vote (7/0), recommended that City Council approve City sponsorship of the event as proposed by Road Shows, Inc. for October 20 through October 22, 2000. In addition to the Parks and Recreation Commission's recommendation, staff is requesting that if City Council approves the attached Minute Order and Resolution, the promoter, RSI, provide City staff, within sixty (60) days after the event, a complete accounting of all income and expenses associated with the event to ensure that all charitable contributions and event expenses are paid as pledged by RSI. Staff is also asking that RSI implement a system, to the best of its ability, that will capture location and number of room nights used by event participants, exhibitors and other attendees through its registration process. RSI will be asked to make this information available within the sixty (60) -day period as previously mentioned. APPROVED BY: VICKI OLTEAN, Parks and Recreation Manager OTTMIKESELL, Director Parks and Recreation Divisions Department of Facilities APPROVED: / Interim City Manager ATTACHMENTS: 1. Minute Order It! 3 2. Resolution 1 April 5, 2000 To: City of Palm Springs City Manager City Council Members Since I did not get an opportunity to meet with any of you on the Biker's Weekend, being very busy during our winter season is wonderful; I thought it would be best for all concerned to share the results of a survey I took of the members of the Palm Springs Hotel&Hospitality Association. I polled our members, both hoteliers and restaurateurs, for their comments on the proposed Bike Weekend planned for October. The results, as usual, were interesting. Half of the hoteliers responding indicated that they do great business during Bike Weekend. They also said that the participants were great guests. The larger hotels responded that they receive little bookings from the event, especially when it coincides with a convention booked into Palm Springs. Restaurants replied that it is a big boost for business. As if you can even get into a Palm springs restaurant during our current winter season! There was some concern that the image of"bikers' was not conducive to Pahn Springs and could be detrimental to future business. Vacationers, families and conventioneers may not feel comfortable during that weekend. On the other hand, many members commended the city for continuing to welcome and support the diversity that has become the national calling card for all groups to enjoy our wonderful village. Interestingly though, almost every member who responded was concerned about the noise factor that accompanies motorcycles and how it would affect our community. Everyone expressed concern to ameliorate the noise and preserve the quietude that is one of the joys of living here. No one wanted any event to alienate the community and many expressed their hope that the necessary noise of motorcycles would not upset too many residents or guests in our hotels or inns. A final salient point made by a majority of our members was the suggestion that this event (and others planned) could be planned for a weekend that falls into a"soft shoulder"period when occupancy is traditionally slow. Any well-run event of this magnitude could then be beneficial to all hotels and restaurants and benefit tourism in slower periods. The shoulder months of early June and early October are now filling up on weekends all on their own as our season continues to stretch. The only drawback to putting a Bike Weekend in the slow periods of December or January is that the weather in the four surrounding states and in the rest of California is not conducive to riding a motorcycle to get here. I On behalf of the Palm Springs Hotel&Hospitality Association, I extend our willingness to participate in any future evaluation of major events or to review the Bike Weekend if a new operator puts it on. We continue to urge city government to participate with private enterprise to create and support wholesome, interesting and fun events that both draw visitors to our great city and can also be shared with our entire community. Res 7submitt *Mond President, Palm Springs Hotel&Hospitality Association Not Used MINUTE ORDER SPONSORING THE PALM SPRINGS BIKE & HOTROD WEEKEND FROM OCTOBER 20 THROUGH OCTOBER 22,2000, AS PRODUCED BY ROAD SHOWS, INC. I HEREBY CERTIFY that this Minute Order, sponsoring the Palm Springs Bike & Hotrod Weekend from October 20 through October 22, 2000, as produced by Road Shows, Inc., was adopted by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, in a meeting thereof held on the 51h day of April, 2000. BY: PATRICIA A. SANDERS City Clerk Matter continued to 4/19/2000 1 RESOLUTION NO. NOT USED OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING CERTAIN REGULATORY ORDINANCES TO FACILITATE THE 2000 PALM SPRINGS BIKE & HOTROD WEEKEND. WHEREAS the City of Palm Springs designated the Palm Springs Bike& Hotrod Weekend as a City-sponsored event; and WHEREAS the City Council desires to facilitate the staging of the City-sponsored event to maximize revenue production; and WHEREAS the City Council finds that certain regulatory ordinances, which are generally deemed desirable and necessary, may, nonetheless, impede the conduct of special events; and WHEREAS the City Council finds that in holding special events, the public interest and the benefits derived therefrom outweigh the temporary public inconvenience; and WHEREAS the City Council has enacted Ordinance #1310 authorizing temporary suspension of regulatory ordinances, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, as follows: Section 1. A. That the Palm Springs Bike & Hotrod Weekend is a special event beneficial to the community and its visitor-oriented economy. B. That the dates of the 2000 Palm Springs Bike & Hotrod Weekend are from October 20 through October 22. C. That Road Shows, Inc. and BR Entertainment are the event promoters, along with their construction and concession personnel and staff. D. That the venue of the Palm Springs Bike& Hotrod Weekend is Palm Canyon Drive in the Central Business District. Section 2. That the following ordinances are hereby temporarily suspended for the special event designated in Section 1 above: Sign Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance, and Noise Ordinance. 15 �,.. Section 3. That the regulatory ordinances designated in Section 2 above shall remain in full force and effect except as to the event dates and persons or organizations as designated in Section 1 above. ADOPTED this 5'h day of April, 2000. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA By City Clerk Interim City Manager REVIEWED & APPROVED AS TO FORM MATTER CONTINUED TO 4-19-2000 I5�