[Dixielandjazz] Re: Jazz Festivals - Was STJS Jazz Jubiilee

[Stephen Barbone]

> Bob Ringwald wrote (polite snip)

> The City of Sacramento has loaned STJS $120,000 and the Sacramento
> Convention and Visitors Bureau has loaned us $60,000.  This is because our
> Jubilee brings in an estimated 28 million dollars to the Sacramento economy
> each Memorial Day weekend.

The above is THE KEY to a successful Jazz Festival. If the Festival City gets that kind of boost from the festival ($28,000,000 in Sacto's case), the
Festival costs should be shared by the city, the convention bureau, local corporations, etc..

The question for the festival producer (hopefully a profit oriented professional) is not whether the city and bureaus should contribute or not, but
how much?

Loan $180,000? Heck they should contribute that pittance if their return is $28,000,000.

I am on the board of a local horse show. We get a grant of $20,000 each year from the county convention and visitor's bureau, because we bring about
$2,500,000 in additional money to the county over that weekend. To say nothing of corporate sponsorships, etc that bring the city, bureau, sponsor
contribution total to over $100,000. Put that into perspective, and a festival that brings in $28,000,000 should have ABSOLUTELY NO TROUBLE getting
grants and corporate sponsorships for at least $1,000,000 before ticket one is sold.

All kinds of sponsorships are available, like we get one free hotel room for every 10 that are booked through us. Etc. Festival costs for 'volunteer"
lodging should be close to free. All kinds of "rebate deals are possible. BUT you must also watch those in power to make sure those rebates do not go
into the wrong pockets. Yes, Virginia, there are a lot of thieves around. (Ask any corporate executive)

The professional festival producers know how to do this. The caveat is that music other than OKOM may sneak in, but that's the way it is. Right now,
most OKOM festivals are giving it away to try and succeed.. Not only that, but many are supplying mediocre music because the $75 all, events badge
won't pay enough for the good bands. If this continues, OKOM festivals as we knew them are doomed anyway. The "Good" OKOM bands will survive because
they know how to charge for their services now, and they play at levels  enabling them to compete with other jazz and music forms. The not so good
will just have to find other venues.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone