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Prairie Lights posts strong attendance and largest net profit to date, staff tell council
Summary
Parks staff told the council Prairie Lights 2024 drew large crowds, expanded marketing and sponsorships, and produced a net profit of $746,000 after updates to operations and concessions reduced costs. Staff reported nearly 27,000 cars over 34 days, increased resident coupon redemptions and higher sponsorship revenue.
Prairie Lights, Grand Prairie's annual holiday lights event, drew large crowds in 2024 and delivered the enterprise fund's largest recent net profit, Parks staff told the City Council. Ray Serta, director of Parks and Arkansas Integration, and his special events team summarized attendance, marketing, operational changes and finances during the council meeting.
The city estimated the event welcomed approximately 148,000 visitors from more than 800 cities and 46 states, according to the presentation. Staff said the event ran 34 nights and recorded nearly 27,000 cars at the gate. "We had about 2,500 cars that were Grand Prairie residents," staff said; of those, roughly 1,300 used the resident discount.
The team highlighted new attractions and operational improvements that it said improved guest experience: an expanded RGB tunnel and a new animated land with music, a new concessions vendor and a new light toy vendor inside the Holiday Village. Staff also noted targeted theme nights, including a popular dog night, and a larger VIP/media night this year.
Marketing and sponsorship gains were cited as significant contributors to revenue growth. The city reported 79 media placements, expanded social media reach (more than 860,000 total views across channels) and a partnership with iHeartMedia that generated millions of impressions. Staff said sponsorship revenue increased by $49,500 and on-site activations drove additional revenue.
On the finance side, Stephen Volz, Parks fiscal manager, reported gross revenues "just shy of $1,700,000" and a net profit of $746,000 after expense savings. Volz attributed the improved net result to higher concession and carnival revenue and efficiency efforts that lowered personnel and other operating costs.
Staff said they collected more than 800 visitor surveys this season and received a 99.6% rate of responses indicating the experience "met or exceeded expectations." The team also said it continued to focus on resident coupon distribution through libraries and recreation centers and sought, without success this year, approval from some outside school districts to distribute coupons directly through schools.
Council members asked for clarifications on totals during the meeting; staff confirmed the car and resident coupon figures reported. Staff noted capacity nights remain a challenge and said they will continue marketing efforts to drive attendance to slower nights and explore merchandise and other activations for the event's upcoming 20th season.
No formal vote or budget action on Prairie Lights was recorded in the provided transcript segment. The Parks team said it will return with additional details and ideas later in the year.
