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7.1.G. - Page 1 <br />REPORT <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br />September 23, 2013 <br />SUBJECT <br />Live Performance Agreement between the City of Redwood City and Zoppe Circus <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Approve, by motion, the Live Performance Agreement between the City of Redwood <br />City and Zoppe Circus and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement. <br />BACKGROUND <br />Since 2008, the City of Redwood City has presented Zoppe Circus. The addition of a <br />family friendly program at the end of October helped to extend the season of events, <br />and provided an incredible draw to Downtown. The Parks, Recreation and Community <br />Services (PRCS) staff worked alongside a consultant (Labadie Productions) to host and <br />coordinate the operations for Zoppe Circus. The inaugural year of the Circus realized a <br />net loss of $35,927 for one week of performances. However, we received rave reviews, <br />sold over 3,000 tickets and knew that with some modifications, we could eventually turn <br />a profit. In 2012, with two weeks of performances and over 7,200 tickets sold, PRCS <br />staff was able to cover the entire costs of the circus and also realized a profit of <br />$23,000. <br />ANALYSIS <br />Due to the loss of parking from construction projects Downtown, staff didn't want to add <br />further congestion by taking over the entire Main Library parking lot for the Zoppe Circus <br />for the span of two weeks. For the past several months, staff has been working to <br />secure a new location and have identified Red Morton Park to be our best option based <br />on this search. The relocation to just behind the Veterans Memorial Senior Center has <br />been met with understanding and even excitement from members of the neighborhood. <br />Notices were sent out on August 23rd to immediate neighbors, and staff has not <br />received any negative responses to date. To minimize parking issues at Red Morton <br />Park during the shows, staff will work on creating a bicycle friendly option; shuttle <br />service; and parking suggestions within walking distance to the park. <br />Staff will continue to use the successful ticket structure from last year's Circus that <br />includes lower rates for midweek performances and higher rates for traditionally filled <br />weekend performances. The realization of profit from ticket sales is one of several <br />revenue streams identified through our Downtown Events Sustainability Plan. <br />