Council selects Sound Skills as preferred vendor for Cathedral City Balloon Festival; staff to negotiate contract

The Cathedral City City Council on April 9 selected Sound Skills as the preferred vendor to produce the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival and directed staff to negotiate a final contract, with the understanding the agreement will return to council for formal approval. The council voted unanimously on a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Gregory, seconded by Council Member Lam.

Ryan (events/comms staff) presented the competitive review process and evaluation panel results. He told the council the RFP drew multiple proposals and that Sound Skills received the highest panel score. Ryan highlighted Sound Skills’ event production experience and said the vendor had proposed hiring Carol Popejoy Davis, the former executive director of the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, as a balloon consultant.

Steve Clayton, owner of Sound Skills, said the firm has produced large‑scale events and was open to negotiating scope to align with the city's budget. Council members pressed for guarantees about the balloon component: how many balloons would be available and whether balloon operators could be secured. Ryan and Clayton said the team would bring balloon‑operator expertise to the contract and listed prospective operator contacts they had begun discussing.

Council members and staff emphasized budget constraints. The city manager and Ryan said three of four proposals exceeded the proposed budget; council members said the vendor should return a contract conforming to the budgeted amount if that is council direction, and they asked staff to negotiate sponsor commitments to help bridge shortfalls.

Action taken: the council approved Sound Skills as the selected vendor and instructed staff to negotiate a detailed contract and return it for council approval. No binding contract was approved on April 9.