Special Events in the City of Vancouver

Date April 11, 2016 Vancouver City Council Workshop

Julie Hannon, Parks and Recreation Director

Stacey Donovan, Special Events Manager

• Recent Special Event Numbers Statistics

• Challenges facing Special Events in Vancouver

• Upcoming Initiatives

• Thoughts on Cost Recovery Strategy

Presentation Overview

Special Events Study Session- 2

• More than 100 people

• Impacting City Services

• Public Safety

• Non-conforming traffic plans

• Ordinance currently specifies non-City sponsored Special

Events be 100% cost recovery

Special Event per Ordinance VMC 5.17

Special Events Study Session- 3

Each permitted event is reviewed by

• 14 Community partners

• 9 City department representatives

Keeping events, participants and the community safe, fun and

thriving!

Special Event Review Committee

Special Events Study Session- 4

Special Event Statistics

Special Events Study Session- 5

Steady growth in both public and private events

0 50 100 150

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

# of Events

• Overall 2015 attendance for all Special Events exceeded

300,000

• New concert and movie series in Columbia Tech Center Park

• Urban Youth Program

• Biggest growth in non-profit and for-profit fun runs and

competitive runs- permitting over 30 runs and walks

Special Event Statistics

Special Events Study Session- 6

• Increasing downtown vibrancy

• More multi-family units – construction projects

• Increased requests for downtown events

• Annual events increasing in size

• BRT construction and future bus stops

Challenges facing Special Events in Vancouver

Special Events Study Session- 7

Comparisons

Special Events Study Session- - 8

• Downtown Vancouver Past and Present

• Downtown Vancouver vs Surrounding Cities/towns

• Washougal, Ridgfield, LaCenter, Portland

• Size, Traffic, Construction, Residential

• Downtown Vancouver vs Rural Routes in Central Oregon

• Sunriver – Don’t supply police services

• Bend - Full cost recovery/limited police staff

Special Events Study Session- - 9

Downtown Map

C-TRAN MAP

• Clarify Cost Recovery Strategy

• Study best practices for Tiered Pricing

• Permitting vs Promotional Roles

• Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission as appeals

board

Upcoming Initiatives

Special Events Study Session- - 11

12

Mostly individual benefit

Considerable Individual Benefit

Individual/Community Benefit are balanced

Considerable Community Benefit

Mostly Community Benefit

Enterprise, Profit Center

Full Recovery Full Subsidy

GreenPlay Industry Standards

Tiered Pricing Ideas

Presentation Title - 13

Park Rental Fee Tax Exempt Commercial

Park Deposit $650 (Rate 1) $1,300 (Rate 2)

Park Rental Fee $506 (Rate 1) $944 (Rate 2)

1. Permit Fee (Processing Fee)

$25 to $500

Depending on size (estimated attendance) and if non-profit or commercial

2. Park Rental Fee

Permitting – City + Special Event Review Team

• Help coordinate logistics

• Site plan/layouts

• Traffic control planning

Promotional

• City of Vancouver – Citywide summer event marketing campaign

• Partner with

• Visit Vancouver USA

• Chamber of Commerce

• VDA

Permitting vs Promotional Roles

Special Events Study Session- 14

City of Vancouver Marketing Support

City-wide Summer Event Marketing Campaign (June – October)

• Weekly Columbian Ads P&R email blast – 30,000 • 12-page Columbian Insert – 30,000 Kiggins Theater screen Ad • C-TRAN back of bus ads Family Magazine • C-TRAN interior bus ads Senior Messenger • Radio or Television ads Daily Insider online ads • Metro area calendars/blogs Posters/fliers distributed city-wide • City of Vancouver social Media outlets Daily Insider Ads

Special Events Study Session- 15

• Thoughts on Cost Recovery Strategy

• Future Follow-up on tier rate structures

Questions for Council

Presentation Title - 16

Questions and Discussion

• Stacey Donovan • 487-8630

Presentation Title - 17