AgdaPkt 2008-03-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7E Downtown Proarammina Page 2 The "Summer in the City" program inaugurated in 2007 was a huge success in activating the new Courthouse Square and helping to brand Redwood City as the entertainment destination of the peninsula. The program was developed by the RDA with assistance from Bruce Labadie, former performing arts director for the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga. The program consisted of Friday night concerts, Wednesday night movies, Thursday night dance demonstrations and lessons, noon-time performances Monday through Friday, and Saturday afternoon family entertainment in front of the cinema. The total cost of the 2007 Summer In The City Program was $147,500. This included the cost of the performers and sound engineering, PRCS staffing, supplies, stage cover purchase and weekly set-up, and Bruce Labadie's contract. Mr. Labadie was successful in obtaining $50,000 in sponsorship money from Target for 2008 concerts, which more than covered the cost of his $40,000 contract to help develop and implement the 2007 performance program. However, the 2007 Program could not have happened without the commitment and support of PRCS. It was their people that staffed the events, retained the bands for Friday nights, coordinated with the performers for the noontime concerts and the dance parties, staffed the movie nights, posted the events on the City's web site every week, set up for the events and cleaned up after every performance and activity. This year they have assumed an even greater role in providing leadership for the development of the 2008 program, as well as responsibility for developing and implementing a more ambitious calendar of inaugural special events throughout the year. They are also prepared to assume responsibility for event requests for Courthouse Square. The RDA budget amendment providing $60,500 for the equivalent of a .36 FTE Recreation Coordinator II, a .25 FTE Recreation Manager, and casual labor will fund the staff support required from PRCS for downtown programming through the end of the 2007/08 fiscal year. This commitment of PRCS staffing covers the planning as well as the implementation activities for the performances that will commence in late May/early June. It will also fund the development of marketing and promotional materials based upon the graphic design concepts used for the 2007 "Summer In The City" program, which will also be assumed by PRCS. In addition, the bands, sound people, performers and movies must be scheduled and booked for the entire summer series and other special events and activities for the 2008/09 fiscal year planned and scheduled. The 2008/09 budget will recommend the continuation of this staff support from PRCS in order to continue the downtown programming and ongoing special events. The proposed budget amendment relates only to staff support from PRCS. There is ample funding remaining in the 2007/08 RDA operational budget for the costs associated with the bands and sound services for the Friday night concerts through the end of the fiscal year, as well as for the movie nights, dance parties and noontime concerts. The total cost for these activities is estimated at just under $20,000. An additional $10,000 is available for the development of marketing materials such as postcards, posters, flyers, etc. The $50,000 grant from Target for four Sunday afternoon concerts in June, July, August and September is the direct result of Bruce Labadie's outreach work for sponsors for the "Summer in the City" program and events. The "Target F amity