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Council approves promoter-incentive program to boost events at Memorial Auditorium and Safe Credit Union PAC
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved a tiered promoter incentive to attract ticketed concerts, comedy and sports to Memorial Auditorium and the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center, including rent and fee rebates, prioritized support for local promoters, and a six‑month evaluation plan.
The Sacramento City Council on July 1 unanimously approved a promoter incentive program designed to increase ticketed events at the Memorial Auditorium and the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center. The program uses targeted rebates and fee waivers to reduce upfront risk for promoters and prioritizes local and community presenters.
Megan Van Boris, director of Convention and Cultural Services, described the program as a way to increase activation and economic activity around the city's civic venues. Van Boris said the city realigned booking functions earlier in the year to sell the campus as a whole and that the incentive is intended to close a financial gap that keeps promoters from bringing shows to Sacramento. "Public venues like Memorial Auditorium and the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center are in a unique position to be more affordable, more diverse, and more inclusive than the private market," she said.
The program features a tiered approach for promoters: introductory, standard, premium and two local-focused tiers. Rebate mechanisms cited include rent rebates, box office and equipment fee rebates, the ability to add ticket and food-and-beverage surcharges that can be redirected to promoters, and shared or forgone food-and-beverage commission. For smaller arts groups that operate on thin margins, the city proposed fee waivers rather than rebates.
Speakers representing central-city business districts and property-based improvement districts backed the plan. Jameson Parker of the Midtown Association asked the city to pair the program with a six-month evaluation measuring event counts, attendance and broader economic impact. Madeline Noel of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership said live entertainment can be a powerful driver of urban vitality and welcomed the city’s steps to lower risk for local promoters.
Councilmember Maple moved approval and Councilmember Dickinson seconded, with direction that staff report back with a six-month evaluation and metrics. The council also noted a recently secured $250,000 marketing grant that could amplify promoter recruitment efforts.
The council voted unanimously to approve the promoter-incentive program and directed staff to return with evaluation results and implementation details in six months.
