Marble Falls council green lights $120,000 for park concerts

Marble Falls City Council approved allocating up to $120,000 in hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds for a concert series in Johnson Park this summer.

The concerts are set to launch on Friday, June 3 with local live performer Braedon Barnhill and are planned each weekend – 10 outdoor concerts at the park – through Aug. 27. Other performers include Rick Trevino and Gary P Nunn.

Double Eagle Entertainment, who produced the Burnet Concert Series at Haley-Nelson Park for the past decade, will shift gears towards the Marble Falls series instead. (See related story on Page 1A).

Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman answered questions for council members inquiring about the “urgency” and amount of funds being requested.

She explained that parks and recreation department budgeted $17,000 towards the three-concert series last year, which was the debut by Double Eagle in Marble Falls.

With the recommendation of 10 concerts, city staff decided to reach out to the council to release HOT funds as well.

“The difference is what we’re asking for,” Dingman explained.

Finance Director Jeff Lazenby confirmed that approximately $99,000 would be covered from HOT funds.

At least $9,300 of parks and recreation funds would be applied as well.

Dingman explained that “fluctuations in cost” include “at most” cost scenarios as well as the potential of securing a larger musical act(s) for the final ticketed concert.

Councilman Dee Haddock questioned why city staff skipped taking the item to the HOT Committee which conducts recommendation votes on HOT funding allocation to be presented to the council.

“This is proposing to use HOT funds and this was not discussed in the HOT funds committee that occurred about two weeks ago – 13 days ago I believe,” Haddock said.

City Manager Mike Hodge explained, “Not everything goes to the HOT Committee as far as this is concerned. … We prepare the budgets through the course of the year. We try to capture most of it. Really the focus for HOT Committee is ‘outside agencies.’”

Haddock continued, “And therefore because of that I think it should be discussed. When we’re considering $20, $17 per linear foot and $5 of roadway, $5 for diesel fuel and other costs we’re experiencing here, I don’t know if this is the highest and best use of $120,000.”

Mayor Richard Westerman said, “This is HOT funds, hotel occupancy tax, money we spend on tourism. This is a tourist (event).”

Dingman explained that the money would fund “production, lighting, sound and talent acquisition.”

“It’s what the chamber put on before. We partnered with them last year,” she said. “The goal is for us to put on that what was previously known as the Marble Falls Music Festival (final show), so that will be a ticketed event.

“We do have some revenue coming in on that end, some possible sponsorships. Our goal was to put forth and use the reserves that are in the HOT fund, drive tourism and add to those hotel stays on Friday night,” she added. “We’re really trying, in the summer months, to get people here an extra day, add some more, save those hotels, and drive more uses of our businesses in our communities.”

On talk of revenue, Dingman explained the final concert last year brought in about $50,000 in ticket sales.

“I suspect we’ll be in that $50-65,000 in revenue offsetting this. It’s definitely not covering cost,” she said. “This is a year we have to prove we have a product that will drive additional sponsorships in the future.”

Dingman added, “We’d like to get promotions out ASAP. We’ve got talent tentatively on the hook and lined up. “That’s the urgency. If we’re going to do this this summer, then we need to be able to tell the community, and start making sure what our goal is is achieved.”

Hodge said, “We focused on the CVB transition. This is another one of those activities that was under the auspices of the chamber, and now the city is taking that on. What we’re trying to do is at least put some effort towards marketing and also putting on some professional shows.

The council ultimately approved the request by a 5-0 vote.

Councilman Dave Rhodes was not in attendance.

Prior to the vote, Haddock asked the HOT funds request recommendation by city staff be moved from the “consent agenda” to “regular genda,” so the council could discuss the item.

Consent agenda items are typically passed in a one block vote on several items without discussion. City administrators say they place items under that category because they are considered “non controversial.”

Haddock pressed city staff to place items on funding such as the HOT request in the regular agenda portion of the meeting, so it can be addressed by council.

He said, “I understand the timing and urgency, I just would prefer that we (pause) transparency is critical, and to push it through on a consent agenda, it bothered me in my tummy.”

Hodge said, “We’re always looking for ways to expedite the meeting. You see there’s five regular items (on the agenda).”

Councilman Reed Norman said, “$120,000 is not something to expedite for me.”

Haddock also asked Dingman to consider gathering post-event data to determine potential sales tax impact.