HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-14-043 - Big Music Fest Agreement Staff Report
K jTC HF,-Ni., CA0 Office www.kitchener ca
REPORT TO: Finance & Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: November 10, 2014
SUBMITTED BY: Rod Regier, Executive Director of Economic Development
519-741-2200, Ext. 7506
PREPARED BY: Jeff Young, Manager, Special Events, 519-741-2200,
Ext. 7388
WARD (S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: November 10, 2014
REPORT NO.: CAO — 14-043
SUBJECT: Big Music Fest Agreement
RECOMMENDATION:
That the CAO be authorized to execute an agreement with Big Music Fest in 2015 and future
years to host the music festival on city owned land provided terms are agreeable to the CAO
and to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
This past July the city welcomed Big Music Fest and nearly 50,000 attendees from across the
region and around the world to McLennan Park to enjoy a three day music festival July 11-13,
2014. Up until that point, McLennan Park had not been host to any type of festival.
The three day event began on Friday, which was open to the public free of charge. Many
neighbourhood residents attended the opening afternoon and evening and were able to enjoy
the midway and watch the Breaking Bands competition which included a number of local
independent bands. Saturday and Sunday's ticketed events showcased international recording
artists including Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Slash and Styx among others.
In just its first year the event has become one of Canada's largest international music festivals.
As the council report dated September 8, 2014 noted, there were minimal issues surrounding
the inaugural event and the community deemed the festival an overwhelming success. The
areas of opportunity outlined in the debrief report have been reviewed with the BMF team and
will be addressed prior to any agreements being signed.
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REPORT:
Delegating authority to staff for recurring large-scale events is an established practice at the
City of Kitchener. Such authority is delegated to the Manager of Special Events for annual
festivals such as TD Kitchener Blues Fest, and Ribfest. The 2014 agreement for Big Music
Festival was authorized by Council on a one-time basis as it was a first-time event. Based on
the success of Big Music Fest 2014, the 2014 agreement, and the opportunities for
improvement as discussed in the debrief report, staff are proposing that the CAO be
authorized to enter into one-year agreements for Big Music Fest to be hosted on City-owned
land with the potential to revise and/or renew the agreement annually at the discretion of the
CAO and City Solicitor.
By providing this signing authority the longer range planning for the festival can begin sooner
for staff and for Big Music Fest organizers. Considering the profile of the entertainers who
perform at Big Music Fest, the advance timing is essential to continue to attract international
performers to our city for the festival. This would also enable staff to work towards securing
additional media partnerships, sponsorship agreements, community partners, other sources of
funding/support and logistical elements for the festival.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The report aligns with a number of strategic priorities from the City of Kitchener's 2011-14
Strategic Plan including Quality of Life and a Dynamic Downtown.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Big Music Fest Inc. will continue to be responsible for all of the direct costs of operations in
McLennan Park or any other city owned land for the festival.
Big Music Fest Inc. will provide an increase of their deposit of $70,000 from 2014 with the
expectation that the City will be made whole following the event.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, CAO
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