GOVERNMENT
“Our goal with SLE is to continue to deliver a high level of musical talent,” Konold said. “If they come up with something else that we’re interested in, we can talk.” Taking another look Last year, the Wild West Music Fest lived up to the ‘wild’ part of its name. The ‘west’ part, not so much, with hip- hop headliners that made people say, “Oh, that guy is still around?” like Young MC, Flo Rida and Nelly, who after his Maricopa cameo went to jail on drugs and other charges.
only hotel, the La Quinta Inn at Copper Sky. This year, the bed tax collections are expected to surpass $250,000. Konold said the new arrangement will take the load off the city’s taxpayers. “I’m glad the bed tax has been identified and I think it takes some of the sting out,” Konold said. Last year, all $370,000 came from property and sales taxes. This year, those taxes would contribute only $25,000. The city’s 2024-25 budget, ratified in June, earmarks
We have a budget for each one of those and we have a budget have a budget for dog parks and we have a budget for our recreation fields. We have a budget for everything. So, should we call for public safety. We out one thing and the loss of money and not the rest of it?” MAYOR NANCY SMITH
$265,000 for the Wild West Music Fest. While last year’s festival was held the second weekend of October, it’s not a given future events will adhere to that pattern. The city also announced its Concerts in the Park Series last month, including two events on different weekends in October and November, which means the Wild West Music Fest isn’t likely happening then. “We’re discussing a range of dates,” Konold said, acknowledging future festivals aren’t tied to the anniversary of the city’s incorporation as was the case last fall. “For so many reasons, last year’s event
Konold cited the city’s lack of experience in struggling to attract quality talent, as well as the constraints of trying to do everything last-minute. After a contract negotiation that went on until July 10 last year, marketing wasn’t underway until July 26 for an event slated to start Oct. 13, leaving a mere 78 days to get the word out for a three-day music festival that didn’t previously exist.
Johnny Carboy, the marketing manager for TSE Entertainment, an event promotion company based in Austin, Texas, said timing is key, especially when you’re trying to market a multi-day festival in its first year. “Personally, I would prefer six to nine months for a multi- day festival,” Carboy said. He said rushing things sets event organizers up for failure. Boston, Mass.-based Gupta Media oversaw the marketing efforts for the 2022 Governor’s Ball, a music festival held in Queens, N.Y., which drew more than 150,000 guests. Recently, it published a white paper where it pointed out the average life of a ticket sales cycle for its festivals is 163 days. Konold admitted last year’s event was a scramble to the finish line but said the city couldn’t afford to do things the industry way. “Extra time means you might have to spend more money marketing,” he said. “That can eat into the budget of the overall event.” Konold also cited burnout, pointing to SLE’s flagship event, The Chandler Ostrich Festival. “People know it’s coming but they won’t announce the acts until a month-and-a-half ahead of the event to avoid fatigue,” he said. “They don’t want people to have fatigue of seeing the acts
Johnny Carboy
had to be held during that period in October,” Konold said. “It was a birthday party, and you hold those events as close as you can to the actual birthday.” As negotiations continue, Konold said the city’s biggest concern has been the quality of acts.
NOT ALL EVENTS CREATED EQUAL
SIGNATURE EVENTS highlight marquee occasions, namely Merry Copa, Great American Fourth and Copa Cultural. COMMUNITY EVENTS feature local favorites like dive-in movies at Copper Sky Aquatics Center, Concerts in the Park and the Pacana Pumpkin Walk. EVENT TOURISM hosts large-scale events designed to attract visitors from outside the community.
The Community Enrichment Department at Maricopa City Hall is charged with putting on the community events many residents attend each year. There are three levels — Signature, Community and Event Tourism. Here’s a breakdown of each category:
InMaricopa.com | September 2024
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