Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with Red, White & BOOM, Inc. to assist in defraying the costs associated with organizing, promoting and executing Red, White & BOOM! 2018.
Over the last 37 years Red, White & BOOM! has become a signature event for the City of Columbus and a staple Independence Day celebration throughout central Ohio and the Midwest. The day-long event attracts more than 400,000 people to downtown Columbus, making it the largest single-day event in central Ohio. Of those 400,000 visitors, approximately 100,000 are from outside of central Ohio, and the event is often utilized by Experience Columbus in promotional materials to attract prospective sporting events, conferences and conventions that are considering Columbus as a destination. Moreover, in the last decade, Red, White & BOOM! has grown significantly, generating more than $10 million in economic impact to central Ohio annually, and over $150 million over the last 20 years.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested to ensure that financial support can be provided to Red, White & BOOM, Inc. as event planning and execution is already underway.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an event support contract with Red, White & BOOM, Inc. for the purpose of planning, promoting and executing Red, White & BOOM! 2018; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $5,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($5,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, over the last 37 years Red, White & BOOM! has become a signature event for the City of Columbus and a staple of the Independence Day celebration throughout central Ohio and the Midwest; and
WHEREAS, this day-long event attracts more than 400,000 people, including 100,000 visitors from outside the region, making it the largest single-day event in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, over the last decade, Red, White & BOOM! has grown significantly, generating an estimated annual economic impact of $10 million and $150 million over the last 20 years; and
WHEREAS, Red, White & BOOM! 2018 will involve approximately 3,000 workers, 130 vendors, and 100 volunteers over eight days; and
WHEREAS, the funding appropriated through this ordinance will be leveraged with financial support from over 35 public and private community sponsors; and
WHEREAS, the 38th presentation of Red, White & BOOM! will be held on July 3, 2018, from noon until 11 pm; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance appropriates funding for support of Red, White & BOOM! 2018 only, and does not represent a commitment to provide financial support in any future year; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the city in that it is immediately necessary to authorize an event support contract with Red, White & BOOM, Inc. for the purpose of planning, promoting and executing Red, White & BOOM! 2018, ensuring that the planning and execution of this signature event for the City of Columbus can continue without interruption, thereby preserving the public health, peace property, safety, and welfare, NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the Red, White & Boom, Inc. to provide operational support for the event on July 3, 2018.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $5,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives Subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the Department of Development in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $5,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance:
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this legislation.
SECTION 5. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.