ANALYSIS:
The Miami Beach Gay Pride event is planned for April 2 - 8, 2019 on Lummus Park Beach between 11th -- 14th Streets.
The organizers are requesting the City waive the following fees:
Application fee $250
Permit fee $500
Vehicle Beach Access Passes $5,250
Square Footage fees $10,911
Lummus Park User fee $8,577.25
Police Administrative fees $5,405
The fee waiver total amount requested is $30,893.25
Additionally, the event organizers are requesting that the City assist with coverage of the following fees and costs which cannot legally be waived, and would therefore require coverage from another area of City funds.
$3,600 – Buyout of Parking Permits weekend of Pride (cannot legally be waived; were waived in error in 2018 and had to be covered from other sources of funding)
$2,880 -- Street sweepers/cleaners (Sanitation Department direct costs)
$20,056.50 -- Police direct costs (cannot be waived)
$14,625 -- Fire & Emergency Rescue direct costs (cannot be waived)
Third party vendor costs:
Sunshine Tents & Event Rentals Permits - $5,532.75
MasterSound - Electrical and Structural Permits - ($850x2) $1,700
Barricade costs -- $25,000 (currently subsidized by the City in the amount of $10,000; event producer is requesting a $15,000 increase in grant subsidy)
AAA banners -- request to subsidize; no amount provided.
The grand total of direct costs and expenses requested as above to be covered by City funds totals $73,394.25, in addition to a to be determined funding subsidy for banners.. The request was received via email, and is attached herein as Exhibit A.
Pursuant to the new special event funding guidelines set forth in Ordinance 2018-4171, the City Commission, on July 2, 2018, referred this discussion item for consideration to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee ("FCWCP") to be heard at the FCWCP July 13, 2018 meeting.
Pursuant to recent direction from FCWCP, and as approved by the full Commission on July 2, 2018, fee waivers in the amount of $25,000 or more will constitute a City sponsorship and will therefore require a sponsorship agreement to be put in place, detailing event deliverables, public benefit, and sponsor recognition among other items.
Pursuant to Sec. 12-7(a) of Chapter 12 (Arts, Culture and Entertainment) of the City Code, any request for City Sponsorship of an event shall only be considered through the City Commission's annual budget process. All other requests for City sponsorship, pursuant to 12-7(b) shall require "(I) an advisory recommendation of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee; and (ii) by a five-sevenths (5/7th) vote, of the City Commission," and 12-7(c) states that 'in considering approval of a Sponsorship for an event, "the City Commission may consider (i) whether the event organizer has exercised good-faith diligent efforts to apply for grant funding that may be available from the City's Visitor and Convention Authority ("CVA" or Cultural Arts Council ("CAC"); (ii) the Event organizer's history and performance in delivering quality Events, (iii) any benefits being directly provided to the general public with respect to the Event, such as free or discounted tickets to persons residing in the City of Miami Beach, seniors, veterans, or member of disadvantaged groups; (iv) whether the event is accessible to the general public (either as a ticketed eVent or otherwise); (v) the demonstrable economic impacts associated with the Event; (vi) the demonstrable media commitments secured by the Event organizer for the Event; or (vii) the efforts undertaken by the Event organizer to mitigate any quality of life impacts associated with the Event, including noise, littering, traffic or parking impacts associated with an Event."
Although the ordinance is not effective until October 2018, the event consideration for sponsorship would meet the guidelines in the following manner:
1. Has the event applied for CAC or VCA? In this case, the event has not applied for CAC or VAC sponsorship.
2. How many years has the event been active on Miami Beach? In this case, the event has been active for 9 years.
3. Does the event generate significant room nights on Miami Beach? This event does not demonstrate audited room nights on Miami Beach.
4. What is the public benefit provided by the event? The event is open and free to the public.
If approved, the sponsorship would be formalized though a sponsorship agreement.