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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-08-049 - Event Ticket Policy and Golf Pass PolicyREPORT Report To: Community Services Committee Date of Meeting: May 12, 2008 Submitted By: Keith Baulk, Director, Enterprise Division, 2393 Prepared By: Keith Baulk, Director, Enterprise Division, 2393 Kim Kugler, Manager, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, 2544 Wards} Involved: all Date of Report: May 5, 2008 Report No.: CSD-08-049 Subject: EVENT TICKET POLICY AND GOLF PASS POLICY RECOMMENDATION: That two Council policies, one for "Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (KMAC} Event Tickets" and the other for "Municipal Golf Course Passes" as outlined in CSD Report 08-049 be approved and adopted. BACKGROUND: The City of Kitchener owns and operates the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex and two golf courses - Rockway and Doon Valley. There has been a long standing practice where Council has had access to event tickets and golf passes for thanking exceptional constituent community volunteers, business purposes, charitable fundraising programs and/or for reasonable personal use. In staff's opinion members of council participation in activities at these significant facilities has been beneficial for the following reasons: 1. It helps foster a greater understanding when making multi-million dollar decisions about risk capital investment for expansion as an example}. 2. It exposes Council as decision makers to feedback and questions from citizens who utilize these facilities. 3. It allows Council to promote the City's role and involvement in hosting and providing major events. 4. It strengthens partnerships with event organizers showing both interest and confirmed support from community leaders; this assists organizers when bidding for events and acquiring sponsorships. 5. It helps Council understand the overall importance of these kinds of facilities in developing community spirit and pride for citizens. 6. It gives Council a sense of the challenges and opportunities faced by staff in managing these significant and complex operations during the most challenging times. CSD-08-049 2 As a result of recent issues relating to the practice of holding tickets for Council for events at KMAC that were not accessible to the public, the Mayor asked staff to review the practice. Staff was asked to suggest a ticket policy that would be more definitive and formal. Staff was also asked to bring forward a more definitive and formal policy related to access to golf passes. In the past at KMAC, personal use tickets have been accessible by members of council as follows: - two complimentary tickets per event - access to a reasonable number of additional tickets at full cost In addition, members of council have had personal access to golf passes on a reasonable basis. REPORT: Attached are two draft policies that have been developed, that in staff's opinion, reflect a balance between reasonable duty-related personal access by members of council to tickets and golf passes and concern about the fairness of the current practice. The proposed policy incorporates the following parameters: KMAC Event and Game Tickets A maximum of 2 complimentary tickets to events and hockey games for personal use. Notwithstanding the above, complimentary tickets will be provided to a maximum of only 2 activities per month. Any additional tickets will be acquired in the same manner as the general public and at full cost. Special requests for tickets for third parties such as donations, volunteer rewards or corporate purposes will be forwarded to the Manager of the KMAC who will assign tickets based on the policy criteria. Attendance at major multi-day events such as National and International Championships will be by invitation of the event owner based on their expectations of Council or desire to have Council involved. Golf Course Passes A maximum of 2 passes per month only for the 7 months of the golf season equates to one per golf course/month} Passes can be requested monthly or in a lump sum. Unused passes must be returned at the end of the golf season. Special requests for passes for third parties such as donations, volunteer rewards or corporate purposes will be forwarded to the Manager of Golf Courses who will assign passes based on the policy criteria. These policies will be implemented immediately for all events at the KMAC and Golf Courses should Council approve the recommendation. Staff has informally surveyed other facilities. The practices and policies range from no access to tickets and complimentary tickets to dedicated corporate suites for Boards and/or Councils plus access to additional tickets. In a number of cases policies do not exist but buildings provide complimentary tickets to members of council on a request basis from event to event. CSD-08-049 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: 3 KMAC event tickets for Council for events would be provided from the pool of complimentary tickets provided by the event promoter. In only very rare circumstances would there not be complimentary tickets afforded to the building by the promoter. Council has attended hockey games and accessed golf course passes in the past. The proposed policy would have no negative impact on the current budget as the 2008 budget has been developed recognizing access as per past practice. In fact, the policy, if implemented, would have a slight positive impact on the financial position of the units because it is more restrictive than past practice. CONCLUSION: The policies have been proposed to provide reasonable access for Council to significant city facilities with some clearly defined limits to access. This will establish greater clarity for Council, staff who manage the facilities and the general public. Should Council approve the policy, it would be implemented immediately. Keith Baulk Director Enterprise Division, Community Services COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION POLICY NUMBER PQLICYTYPE: Ct~l1NCIL DATE : JUNE 9, 2008 SUBJECT: MAYt~R AND COUNCIL GOLF PASSES POLICY CONTENT: 1. To clearly define a policy with respect to the issuance of golf passes for Mayor and Council. As well, to identify the categories and criteria for the issuance of requested golf passes. The purpose is to provide reasonable access to the Mayor and members of Council for business purposes and for personal reasons to broaden Council's knowledge of the operation and the current conditions being provided. 2. Policy Statement ~i) Business purposes • Mayor and Council office requesting golf passes must provide information identifying the business or name of the organization the passes are for. Generally a member of Council will participate with the group. iii) Charity, corporate or recognition • Mayor and Council office must provide a name of a contact person and group that requested passes along with the purpose for which the request was being made • Request and information must be submitted by way of email to the Manager of Golf Courses • Each request will be evaluated for qualification to ensure the criteria for providing passes is met which includes the following o Volunteer recognition o Silent auctions that benefit the local community Kitchener plus grandfathered groups) o Fundraising within the local community Kitchener plus grandfathered groups) o Local charities draws at events o Promotion/recognition of city or facility o Customer concern/complaints KITCHENER 1 June 9, 2008 viii) Personalllse Mayor and each Council member are eligible for a maximum of 2 green fee passes each of the 7 months of the golf season. The above mentioned passes may be obtained by the Mayor or Council member in one lump sum or monthly. Unused golf passes must be returned at the end of the golf season. Any additional passes must be approved by Mayor for Council requests and by the CAQ for Mayor requests. KITCHENER 2 June 9, 2008 COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION POLICY NUMBER DATE: JUNE 9, 2008 PQLICYTYPE: COUNCIL SUBJECT: MAYQR AND COUNCIL EVENT TICKET Pt~LICYAT THE KITCHENER MEMt~RIAL AUDITt~RIl1M Ct~MPLEX POLICY CONTENT: 1. To clearly outline for city staff, Council and the general public, a policy for City Council's access to tickets for events at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex deg. Hockey games and concerts). To clearly outline the criteria to be used for issuing tickets to members of City Council based on two categories: ~i) Charity or corporate recognition iii) Personal use by a member of City Council 2. Policy Statement ~i) Charity and Corporate Recognition • To gain access to tickets for events at the Aud for use by a charity or for corporate recognition, the Mayor and Council must provide a name of the group that has requested the tickets along with the purpose for which the request is being made. • Requests for tickets for the purposes of charity of corporate recognition must be submitted in writing to the Manager of the Aud. • Requests for tickets for the purposes of charity or corporate recognition will be evaluated by the Manager of The Aud who will make a decision on the request on criteria as outlined below. • In order to receive tickets for charitable or corporate recognition purposes, the request must meet one of the following objectives: o Volunteer recognition o Silent auctions that benefit the local community o Fundraising within the local community o Local charities draws at events o Promotion/recognition of the City or one of its facilities o Responding to customer concern/complaints KITCHENER 1 June 9, 2008 iii} Personal Ilse by a Member of City Council: • Each member of City Council will be eligible for a maximum of 2 complimentary tickets per event at The Aud • Members of City Council will be limited to attending 2 events at The Aud per month on a complimentary basis. Councillors wishing to gain access to tickets above that amount will be required to use the same venues as the general public • Requests for tickets for personal use by a member of City Council must be submitted in writing to the Manager of The Aud • Any complimentary tickets over and above those outlined in this policy -for extraordinary corporate business purposes -must be approved by the Mayor for Council requests and by the CAO for requests from the Mayor • This policy will not apply to major multi-day events at The Aud where the event owners make special requests of members of Council to participate in the event deg. Major national and international championships} KITCHENER 2 June 9, 2008