City Council Gives Rose Bowl Go Ahead to Explore Money-Making Projects for Stadium, Brookside Golf Course

The City Council on Monday approved plans for the Rose Bowl Operating Company to explore projects on a shortlist of potential revenue opportunities that could generate sufficient income to ensure the economic viability of the Rose Bowl stadium and the Brookside Golf Course.

Each project would have to return to the Council later for individual approvals before being undertaken.

Initial projects include a Family Golf Center, the Campus Marque/Sponsorship Program, sponsored 210 freeway signage, a South End Zone Seating Project, opportunities which could arise from an “alignment of interests” contracts with UCLA) and the Tournament of Roses, and third-party funding opportunities related to future capital improvements.

Other avenues? A potential city-wide parking tax on paid parking spaces and the potential increase of the Transient Occupancy Tax travelers pay on lodgings when they visit Pasadena.

Councilmembers agreed that the RBOC should prioritize the initiatives that are most feasible and are most likely to raise revenue.

The Council also agreed to include the Mills Act concept among the opportunities that can be pursued, as recommended by Mayor Victor Gordo. The Mills Act is, according to the state Office of Historic Preservation, “the single most important economic incentive program in California for the restoration and preservation of qualified historic buildings.” It is a tax abatement administered and implemented by local governments.

Six Councilmembers voted in favor of the recommended projects. Councilmember Felicia Williams is the sole Councilmember who voted in the negative.

Williams wanted to amend the motion for RBOC to prioritize only the projects that don’t require an investment of capital.

“It’s difficult at this point because now we are in a financial bind and we need to come up with solutions. I would be inclined to support the recommendation if there was a prioritization,” Wiliams said, further adding that she will support projects that “don’t require an expenditure of capital or the incurrence of debt.”

Her amendment was not supported.

Mayor Gordo, who cautioned Councilmembers against restricting the RBOC’s ability to pursue options, explained that the City Council is not approving projects but just allowing RBOC to explore opportunities.

“All of them will require Council action,” Mayor Gordo said. “We’re not approving projects. This is a direction to the RBOC. These are the areas where you believe action can be taken, maybe an investment made, go investigate them and then come back to us and tell us what you found.”

“At that point in time we can make determinations as to whether or not we want them to continue to pursue them ultimately resulting in contractual agreements and dedication of resources if needed and projects at the end of the entire process,” Gordo said.

“Based on our current financial situation, we will be coming back here before we spend any significant amount of money,” RBOC Chief Executive Officer Jens Weiden said.

Weiden said RBOC is in alignment with Councilmember Williams on prioritization. “The ones that don’t require capital are much easier for us to pursue.”

“The next steps here are to further study these projects and understand the prioritization,” Weiden added.