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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.council.20051122Continued Meeting Aspen City Council November 22~ 2005 APPEAL OF SPECIAL EVENT COMMITTEE DECISION ............................................ 2 U. S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL REQUEST FOR FUNDS ......................................... 2 REQUEST TO USE CITY PROPERTY - Marolt Statu¢/Rubcy Park .............................. 4 CONTRIBUTION TO ARTIFICIAL TURF AT HIGH SCHOOL ................................... 4 Continued Meeting Aspen City Council November 22, 2005 Mayor Klanderud called the continued meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. with Councilmembers Richards, Torre, DeVilbiss and Johnson present. APPEAL OF SPECIAL EVENT COMMITTEE DECISION Kathryn Koch, city clerk, told Council when an applicant for a special event is not satisfied with the committee's decision, they may appeal to the city manager and then to Council. Winter Polo requested use of Wagner Park December 16 to 18. The Committee said they would only allow this event to be held at Rio Grande Park. Tom Rubel, parks department, told Council there have been problems with horse urine spotting the park. There have been events added to Wagner Park and he is trying to put the more community-type events at Wagner and move other events to Rio Grande. Rubel told Council his first recommendation is not to allow this event within the city limits as polo is more of a rural event. Rio Grande would be an acceptable in-town location. Barry Stout, representing Winter Polo, showed a DVD featuring Winter Polo that was shown on Frontier airlines for two months last winter. Stout told Council polo has been at Wagner Park for the past 3 years. This will be a U. S. Polo sanctioned event. Stout stated safety is an issue and it is safer at Wagner Park. At Rio Grande the horses will have to cross the street to get to the polo field. Having polo at Wagner gives more exposure for Aspen and guarantees more participation. Stout said there is no admission fee to this event. There is a long history of polo in the Roaring Fork valley. This event has been growing and gets media coverage. Stout said having the event at Rio Grande will lose sponsors and participation. Councilman Johnson asked if there is a written policy on winter events in city parks. Ms. Koch said there is not. Mayor Klandemd stated for years the policy was no new events in Wagner or Rio Grande park. Rubel said for years he recommended against winter events in the parks because of the compaction. Rubel said he would prefer Wagner park not have events until the X game concerts for the life of the grass. Councilman DeVilbiss asked who the Wright Group is. Stout told Council this is their sponsor for this year. Stout told Council they have been able to give their charity, Sister Cities, more money every year. Pat Fallin, representing Sister Cities, said the amount has grown and it was $5,000 last year. The parks department is willing to forego $1500 of park fee for a contribution to Sister Cities. Councilmembers Torre and Richards said they would approve this for one more year at Wagner. Councilman DeVilbiss said this event should not be held in the city and he might approve polo at Cozy Point. Mayor Klanderud and Councilman Johnson said they would uphold the committee's recommendation and approve the event at Rio Grande. Councilman Johnson said Rio Grande is only 4 blocks from Wagner Park. The polo event will be held at Rio Grande park. U. S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL REQUEST FOR FUNDS 2 Continued Meeting Aspen City Council November 22~ 2005 Mayor Klanderud said at an earlier work session, the majority of Council voted to approve $30,000 in funding to HBO for the Comedy Arts Festival. Councilman Johnson said he wanted to reconsider this in order to have HBO present their case. Joe Lang, representing Comedyfest, told Council in the early 1990's there was Aspen Comedy Festival consisting of some standup showcases at the Wheeler. This is an independent organization, U. S. Comedy Arts Festival, unde~vritten by HBO, like a title sponsor. Lang told Council it is difficult to recoup the costs of putting on this event. This has always been a winter event. Lang said in discussions with local businesses, they state it is one of the top weeks of business. Lang told Council they are discussing with the Ski Company moving this event to the shoulder season. Lang noted this is an industry driven event, the industry trying to discover new talent; however, having locals attend these events is very important. There are 70 performances over a 4-day festival. Lang told Council doing shows in smaller venues, the businesses do not do well selling food or alcohol because of other actions going on. Most of the performances are now held in hotel ballrooms or the Wheeler. The festival has tried Harris Hall, the district theatres and the Red Brick gymnasium. Last year the festival received $25,000 from the city and put a tent in Wagner Park, which tent cost $150,000. Lang said another point Council brought up was the overselling of venues. Lang told Council there are industry passes with a "no show" rate. Lang told Council these comedy artists are not paid to come to Comedyfest. Lang said there have been some shows that create a crowd and the issue of over ticketing. Lang told Council they do not plan on such large shows for this year and will issue tickets at the door for the larger events. Lang said the HBO attendees have seats that are held for them, which gives the perception VIPs get in in front of ticket holders. Lang told Council the Comedyfest spends a lot of money with 50 to 60 lodges around the community. Lang reiterated talent is not paid a fee to perform; Comedyfest pays their expenses to get here and while they are here. Lang reminded Council the original request to Council was for $85,000 to underwrite a tent 100' wide and seating 1,000. With a donation of $30,000, the Comedyfest would erect a tent like last year's 60 by 80 up to 60 by 115, holding up to 550 seats. The challenge is with the largest capacity, a greater headliner could be entertained. Last year's tent held 300 seats. The Hotel Jerome holds 220 as a venue. Lang told Council last year the tent added buzz to the festival, having it right in the middle of the community. Lang told Council if local businesses display a Comedyfest poster, they get a chance to promote their business in the welcome kit. This event gets Aspen national press. Councilwoman Richards stated she would support the event at either $30,000 or $25,000. Councilwoman Richards said she does not see a distinction between supporting HBO Comedyfest and X Games put on by the Ski Company. Aspen has a ski heritage and it makes sense to support ski competitions. Aspen has also always had a cultural heritage. Councilwoman Richards said giving Comedyfest money helps to retain events that keep Aspen unique and also shows the city's support for Comedyfest. Continued Meeting Aspen City Council November 22~ 2005 Councilman Johnson said he talked to several businesses that agree they do not want the comedy acts in their venue. Councilman Johnson said he did not know the U. S. Comedy Arts started as a local effort that has grown into a larger entity. Councilman Johnson said the city's parks are potentially overused and staff will have to develop a policy. Councilman Johnson said it is important for Council to know what the in-kind contribution to events is. Councilman Johnson agreed this is similar to the X-games. Councilman Johnson said he will support this contribution for 2006 but is not committing to any future support. Mayor Klanderud said she is troubled by the argument that HBO wants Aspen to show support for this by donating money. Mayor Klanderud said it is critical that especially local people be able to get into shows for which they have purchased tickets. Mayor Klanderud agreed this is a great event and the tent in the park was a great addition. REQUEST TO USE CITY PROPERTY - Marolt Statue/Rubey Park Jeff Woods, park director, reminded Council they contributed to this statue. Mike Marolt asked the city to help find a temporary location for this sculpture. Woods told Council staff looked at locations all around town. Staff feels a site at Rubey Park on a stone pedestal would work. Mayor Klanderud said the proposed skier's walk of fame on Dean street would be a ideal location for this sculpture when the walk of fame is complete. Mayor Klanderud told Council the U. S. ski team wants to have an unveiling before the World Cup, which is why this request is before Council at this time. Susan Olsen, sculptor, showed Council a mock up of the sculpture. The total height is almost 10'. Ms. Olsen said the sculpture is resting on stone, similar to the l0th Mountain Division sculpture with the same type of stone. Mike Marolt told Council they will take care of the costs of shipping and installation. Marolt thanked Council and the community for their generosity in contributing to the sculpture. Council agreed to the temporary location at Rubey park proposed by staff. Councilman Torre moved to go into executive session at 5:45 p.m. to discuss the purchase o f Smuggler Mountain, pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(a), purchase of real property; seconded by Councilman DeVilbiss. All in favor, motion carried. Councilwoman Richards moved to come out of executive session at 6:55 p.m.; seconded by Councilman DeVilbiss. All in favor, motion carried. CONTRIBUTION TO ARTIFICIAL TURF AT HIGH SCHOOL Jeff Woods, parks director, reminded Council staff has shown a need for additional athletic fields. One of the proposed sites to get additional playing time is putting synthetic turf on the middle school fields. Woods told Council the school board has agreed to put $300,000 into this project and to go forward. The school board is requesting the city be a partner for $300,000. The rest of the program is new stands, 4 Continued Meeting Aspen City Council November 22~ 2005 restrooms and lights, which will be funded by private donations. Woods said staff feels this would work for the school district and for the community. Synthetic turf would pick up 2 additional fields and would take pressure off needing to build additional fields. The school feels that having night lights is an important community asset. This would be a school district issue only. Woods told Council there will be savings to the city; $15,000 to $20,000/annual maintenance. This would save 1 million gallons of water. This would save gas from mowers as well as using fertilizers. The school feels tying this field construction to the construction already planned for this summer would generate some savings. There will be no naming rights. Councilwoman Richards said she thought turf had to be replaced every few years. Woods said the new turf has a 10 year warranty; also the entire turf does not have to be replaced. Councilwoman Richards said she would like a commitment from the school district that they are escrowing money for the replacement of the turfi Councilmembers Johnson, DeVilbiss, Richards and Mayor Klanderud favored going forward with this partnership. Councilman Torre said he is only opposed to this because of lack of information for a large request. Councilman DeVilbiss moved to adjoum at 7:10 p.m.; seconded by Councilman Torre. All in favor, motion carried. ~athryn S. Koch, City Clerk 5