Bid process holds up bookings for festival
By: Beth Winegarner
Examiner Staff Writer
February 6, 2009
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| Bassist Evan Cranley and members of the Stars band during the outside lands concert at Golden Gate Park. (Juan Carlos Pometta Betancourt/Special to The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Delays in choosing which organization would produce the follow-up to last summer’s Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in Golden Gate Park has left the promoter scrambling to book big-name bands.
Berkeley promoter Another Planet Entertainment, which produced the inaugural fest last summer, emerged the victor in a three-way bidding war, and was approved by a vote of the Recreation and Park Commission on Thursday to negotiate a three-year lease this month.
However, Another Planet thought the deal would be secured earlier — then, in October, Recreation and Park Department leaders launched a competitive-bid process aimed at boosting the department’s revenue for the festival from $815,000 in 2008 to a $1 million minimum in future years.
“By last January, we had all the talent booked,” said Allen Scott of Another Planet. “Headliners like Radiohead and Jack Johnson make their summer plans a year in advance, so right now we’re behind.”
Currently, ticket sales to Another Planet’s other Bay Area festivals and shows, including October’s Treasure Island Music Festival, are holding steady, Scott said. And though the economy is weak, the company does not plan to raise ticket prices from last year — $85 for one day or $225.50 for all three. Last year, 130,000 attendees bought tickets to Outside Lands. Most of Rec and Park’s share of earnings went to gardeners and improvements in Golden Gate Park.
Under the new lease, Rec and Park would earn a minimum of $950,000, plus $1 for every ticket sold — a total of $1.1 million on sales of 110,000, $1.2 million for 130,000 or $1.7 million for a sellout of 180,000, according to Rich Hillis, Rec and Park’s deputy director of partnerships.
Golden Gate Park boosters, however, protested plans to funnel all proceeds into the general fund.
“Set aside at least 20 percent for Golden Gate Park,” said Nancy Wuerfel, a member of the Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance.
Under the new lease, Another Planet plans to minimize the event’s negative impact on neighbors, such as moving the Friday kickoff from 5 p.m. to 1 p.m., Scott said.
