Stonecrest film commission names new economic development director, sets monthly meetings and seeks clarity on event funding

Stonecrest’s Film & Entertainment Commission on Oct. 16 introduced Lance Randall as the city’s new economic development director and spent the meeting discussing how the commission will operate, how events and sponsorships will be funded and whether the commission can collect and hold revenue from ticketed events.

The most immediate change approved during discussion was a meeting cadence: the commission will meet monthly on the third Thursday, with its advisory board convening quarterly. Members also discussed a $50,000 film-and-entertainment line item in the city’s economic development budget and asked Randall and city staff to clarify whether revenue from events should be deposited into a separate account or retained under the city’s budget structure.

Why it matters: The commission is positioning itself to promote filming, events and related economic development in Stonecrest. How the commission can receive, hold and spend money — and whether it needs a separate account or EIN — will determine whether it can seed events, accept sponsorships or run ticketed screenings without delays that previously hampered vendor payments.

Lance Randall, introduced at the meeting as Stonecrest’s new economic development director, summarized his background in economic development and film permitting work in other cities and described his immediate…