Resolution 2011-188 Resolution to Give Preliminary Approval to a Festival to be Produced at Parade Stadium by First Avenue in 2012 Subject to Final

Approval of the Festival Agreement Whereas, The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) received a proposal for a concert to he held at Parade Stadium by the local concert venue, First Avenue; Whereas, First Avenue held several meetings with the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association to discuss the potential for holding a concert series in 2012; Whereas, The Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association gave their unanimous approval to support the First Avenue Festival at Parade Stadium with the condition that they work with an ad hoc group of community members on the planning of the festival; Whereas; First Avenue needs approval for the festival by the MPRB in order to start booking the entertainment; Whereas, An agreement will be developed that outlines requirements for First Avenue to hold the festival over the next 30 days and will be brought back to the Board for approval by the November 16 Board meeting; RESOLVED, That the Board of Commissioners give preliminary approval to a Festival to be produced at Parade Stadium by First Avenue in 2012 subject to final Board approval of the festival agreement; and RESOLVED, That the President and Secretary of the Board are authorized to take all necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution. Adopted by the Park & Recreation Board In formal meeting assembled on October 5, 2011 ______________________________ John Erwin, President

______________________________ Karen Robinson, Secretary Approved: _________________________________

R.T. Rybak, Mayor

TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT:

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioners Don Siggelkow, Assistant Superintendent for Development Services October 5, 2011 Resolution to Give Preliminary Approval to a Festival to be produced at Parade Stadium by First Avenue in 2012 Subject to Final Approval of the Festival Agreement

Background First Avenue submitted a proposal to have a festival at Parade Stadium in 2012. Staff discussed the proposal with First Avenue and requested that they meet with the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association to discuss the concept. The proposal was discussed with the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association and they have given unanimous approval to the festival to be held at Parade Stadium conditioned on a requirement to work with an ad hoc group from the community on the planning details. In order to get the talent booked for a 2012 event, staff is asking that the Board give preliminary approval to the festival for 2012 contingent on final review and approval of a festival agreement at the November 16, 2011 Board meeting. This will allow First Avenue to move ahead on their bookings while we negotiate the terms for an agreement. Representatives from First Avenue will be present to provide a presentation on the festival. Recommendation Staff recommends that the Board give preliminary approval to a Festival to be produced at Parade Stadium by First Avenue in 2012 subject to final Board approval of the agreement Attachments None Previous Board Actions None Legal Review Legal Counsel will review the final agreement with First Avenue that will be brought to the Board on November 16, 2011.

Prepared by: Approved by:

Don Siggelkow, Assistant Superintendent for Development Services Jayne Miller, Superintendent

Parade Park Concert Proposal

Presented to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board September 26, 2011

About First Avenue

First Avenue is an icon of Minneapolis. As the longest continual entertainment and music venue in the Twin Cities, First Avenues roots in the community are deep and far-reaching. We continually work to strengthen these ties and connect with every generation of music fan. In his proclamation declaring April 3, 2010 First Avenue Day, Mayor R.T. Rybak stated, First Avenue has been recognized as one of the best places to see live performances by music fans worldwide; [it] has captivated millions of customers and has welcomed bands in the tens of thousands. From the avant-garde to the mainstream, First Avenue is committed to fostering local artists as well as bringing national music and entertainment excellence to Minneapolis. The Star Tribune nicely summed it up, Its a bar, a rock venue, a dance hall, a downtown landmark, and a music scenes epicenter. First Avenues prominence isnt confined to just its star-adorned building. The company consists of the First Avenue Mainroom, the 7th St. Entry, the Record Room, the Depot Tavern, and First Avenue Productions. By promoting over 550 events in 2010 alone, First Avenue Productions has become the one-stop shop in promoting and producing entertainment in the Twin Cities. We have promoted shows at venues such as the Xcel Energy Center, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, the Cabooze Outdoor Plaza, the State Theatre, the Orpheum Theatre, the Pantages Theatre, the Varsity Theater, the Fine Line Music Cafe, the Turf Club, and the Triple Rock Social Club. First Avenue Productions is recognized locally, nationally, and worldwide as a leading live music booker and promoter by critics, fans, and artists. During his recent appearance in the First Avenue Mainroom, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie declared, Its an honor and treat to be back at First Avenue. This is one of the best clubs in the country. Set on these strong roots, First Avenue Productions is dedicated to continuing to make not only First Avenue, but also the Twin Cities a premier entertainment destination. Recent awards include: -2011 City Pages Awards: Best Rock Club and Best Dance Night (Both Editors and Readers Choice), Best Touring Show (Lauryn Hill) Best Local Show (Mark Mallman Marathon at the Turf Club) -Metromix: #1 Music Venue Chosen by Touring Musicians (September 2011) -Gibson Guitars: One of the Top 10 Rock Venues of All Time (December 2010) -2011 Mid-Year Pollstar Ranking: #4 Worldwide Club (based on ticket sales) -2011 Mid-Year Pollstar Ranking: #54 Worldwide Promoter (based on ticket sales)

First Avenue Staff - 2011 1

Vision
In the spirit of both First Avenues and Parade Parks histories, we look forward to collaborating with the Park Board to bring an outdoor festival or concert series to the heart of Minneapolis. With the skyline as our backdrop as national talent is paired with homegrown bands, our shows would be worthy of national attention with a distinctly local feel. We will bring in one major touring act whom First Avenue has built a relationship with throughout the last 40 years, and one or two major local artists with fervid hometown appeal. Additionally, we will give local bands a chance to open and play in front of perhaps their biggest crowd ever. There will be one stage, with music continuing from the afternoon until 9:30pm. As the sun goes down and the cityscape begins to twinkle, every Minneapolitan will be proud of their city, and every out-of-town visitor will contemplate moving. We look forward to showing off Parade Park as a true gem in the best location in Minneapolis. While many young, urban music lovers have been in the vicinity, few are aware of Parade Park or have attended an event at the venerable stadium. Attendees will love the easy access to public transportation, bike lanes, and the multiple parking options available. First Avenue will also run a shuttle from its building, for those coming back to downtown to attend the after party! Many guests will arrive by foot, as we hope this is a community event Lowry Hill neighborhood stakeholders will enjoy from inside the gates. Instead of having to trek out to the Zoo or St. Paul, we will now have a concert that financially supports our City and our Parks, and is friendly to our environment. Regardless of arrival method, all will feel warm and welcome as they walk through the gates. By working with sponsors, we will keep tickets at a reasonable price. There will be plenty of food and drink available to purchase that highlight local businesses. As with our products at First Avenue, we will look to collaborate with favorite local delis, eateries, and food trucks. Concertgoers may grab a beer at the Kierans Irish Pub tent or at the Nick and Eddie tent. Just outside the gates, they can get sustenance from the food truck lot, choosing from such local vendors as the Chef Shack, Magic Bus, or Turkey to Go. While we will have many options for beer and liquor, we will highlight local breweries such as Surly and Summit, as well as organic Phillips Distillery products. Any First Avenue event at Parade will truly be a celebration of Minneapolis music, food, beer, and most of all... its residents! When the concert ends at 9:30pm, many people will head to the nearest bar or restaurant. Exhilarated from the event, concert goers will fill up seats at local Lowry Hill businesses as they recap this unforgettable event. Other cities currently host music concerts in the heart of their city centers. These events offer a great look into how concerts in Parade might feel, and how important and vital outdoor shows are to a citys summer landscape.

Austin City Limits

Ziller Park - Austin, TX

The money that comes into the parks department is excellent. It further promotes Austin as the worlds live-music capital. Its very impressive. -Austin Mayor Will Wynn

Lollapalooza
Grant Park - Chicago, IL

The next mayor should rethink how music and our festivals can be used to strengthen not just downtown but the development and maintenance of our neighborhoods as well.
-Carol Moseley Braun
(previous Chicago mayoral candidate)

Pitchfork
Union Park - Chicago, IL

Summerstage
Central Park - New York, NY

National Artists (5,000 Draw)

The artists below are only ideas. They represent the type of shows and variety of acts First Avenue has promoted or hosted, and would like to bring to Parade.

Mumford & Sons

The Black Keys

Adele

Ms. Lauryn Hill

Paul Simon

Death Cab For Cutie

Arcade Fire

Prince

Spoon

National Artists (5,000 Draw)

The Shins

Earth, Wind & Fire

The Killers

Elvis Costello

Foster The People

Wilco

The Pixies

Vampire Weekend

Phoenix

Major Local Acts (1,500 - 3,000 Draw)

Atmosphere

Trampled By Turtles

The Hold Steady

Bon Iver

Tapes N Tapes

Cloud Cult

Soul Asylum

Doomtree Collective

Mason Jennings

Gayngs

Solid Gold
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Roma Di Luna

Other Items
Parking Parking lots in extremely close proximity will provide spaces for approximately 5,000 attendees. 500 Parade lot 1,000 - Walker lot 800 - Dunwoody lot (will contract) Public Transportation & Biking Studies have shown that 70% of the environmental impact of concerts is driving cars to and from events. First Avenue is committed to lowering the impact of events at Parade by encouraging alternative means of transportation. We will try to work with NiceRide and sponsor temporary kiosks at Parade Park. This will allow people parking Downtown, as well as visitors staying in hotels Downtown to have a short and beautiful ride. It will also raise money for one of Minneapolis most popular and innovative programs. Additionally, each ticket will include a $1 Environmental Impact Fee. This money will be refunded to all customers who arrive by bicycle or public transportation. The remaining funds will be used to purchase carbon offsets for those arriving by car. In order to accommodate the demand, First Avenue will work with Metro Transit to ensure enough buses run to and from the event to make transportation easy. We will also contract to provide 500+ bike racks and run a shuttle from First Avenue every 30 minutes from one hour before the gates open to one hour after closing. Security We will hire the recommended number of private police and station them appropriately on streets outside of the Parade Park. Additionally, we will bring in the First Avenue security team to aid in operations inside Parade Park. First Avenue security has had no city violations in the past seven years (under current ownership), and no major incidents. We have a staff of over 175 to utilize. Noise and Trash We will direct all noise away from residential areas to the best of our abilities. Live music will end by 9:30pm, emptying the area by 10:30pm. First Avenue staff is well trained not to allow trash outside of the event space. By containing garbage within the fence, we can clean up quickly and quietly. Alcohol First Avenue will sell wine, beer and liquor using our catering license. We have successfully passed 100% of the inspections by the Alcohol Licensing Board and have no violations for underage drinking. Turf We will work with Parade Parks operations department closely to best protect the field. Additionally, we will work with other field facilities managers to gain knowledge of how best to protect this valuable commodity. We also have the option to purchase turf insurance. However, if the turf proves prohibitive to using the stadium, we will use the baseball field and secure the pitchers mound. While capacity will be more limited, the event will still have the cityscape backdrop and urban amenities. Income Potential for Park Board This is a great opportunity for the Park Board to earn money as our collaborator. The Park Board revenue would be derived from a mutually agreed upon amount for rent. 10

Neighborhood Approval

First Avenue is proud to have the approval of the Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association (LHNA) to pursue an event at Parade Park. At the September 13th board meeting, LHNA gave unanimous approval for a First Avenue event at Parade Park, with the condition that First Avenue work with an ad hoc group of neighbors in the planning process. We are excited to continue working with neighborhood stakeholders and producing a true community event. In the meeting discussion, it was specifically noted that the Boards decision was predicated on working with a trusted local promoter. In order to assure we leave the neighborhood better than when we came, First Avenue will contribute a per ticket greening fee to the LHNA. Additionally, the First Avenue staff will volunteer time and energy for one day to the neighborhood for a project of the neighborhoods choosing. Whether itsv greening the median strip between the Walker and St. Marks or beautifying Thomas Lowry Park, First Avenue staff members will be dedicated to improving Lowry Hill.

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Potential Dates
We are aiming to hold the outdoor festival or concert series for the Summer/Fall of 2012. With other neighborhood events in mind, we will set a date accordingly so that the area is not overloaded, as well as avoid other major events to minimize competition. One possibility is to fill the gap left by the Taste of Minnesota and hold the concert on July 4th weekend.
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Rock the Garden (June 18) Pride (June 25 26) Basillica Block Party (July 8 9) National Night Out (August 2) Loring Park Arts Festival (August 6 7) Minnesota State Fair (Aug 25 September 5)
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Summary
Concerts in Parade Park would be greatly beneficial for the City of Minneapolis, the Park Board, our local music community, and all Twin Cities residents. First Avenue Productions is committed to producing collaborative community events, as unobtrusive to the neighborhood as possible, which will entertain citizens, generate sales taxes for the City and revenue for the Park Board, and employ over 100 people each day. Together, First Avenue Productions and the Park Board will bring a new generation of music lovers into the gates of Parade Park. We look forward to making this exciting new opportunity come to life.

Concert of Sharing, Parade Park - 1976

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