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City report: Rock the Locks drew visitors but cost Umatilla about $1.1 million
Summary
City staff told the council Rock the Locks attracted roughly 5,900 unique visitors and brought regional spending but produced a net cost to the city of about $1.1 million; the presentation outlined sound-mitigation steps, a $170,000 mitigation spend this year and options to improve cost recovery.
City staff presented a detailed review of the Rock the Locks festival on Dec. 3, saying the event drew roughly 5,900 unique visitors and about 12,200 total visits across multiple days but left the city with a net cost of about $1,100,000.
The presenter told the council festival attendance rose modestly from the prior year and that multi-day attendance increased (average days per visitor rose from 1.79 to 2.07). The report used anonymized location-data tools and ticketing data to break down origins, age and income of attendees and estimated a regional economic impact figure staff cited as roughly $5.2 million.
On festival finances, staff said gross revenue was about $877,000 and expenses just under $2 million, leaving a net cost to the city. The presenter said some of the shortfall had been anticipated and budgeted through the Transient Room Tax fund, and described three reserve categories the city maintains: operational contingency, capital reserve and an unappropriated fund balance carried into the next year.
Noise and sound mitigation were central topics. Staff summarized an engineering study and contractor findings, and recommended contractual sound limits for bands and a permanent sound curtain/wall to replace costly annual rentals. "We still came at a substantial cost to the residents of Umatilla at a net negative revenue of 1,100,000.0," staff stated during the presentation. The report said the city spent "just a little over $170,000" on sound mitigation measures this year (rental and installation of curtains and related labor) and recommended pursuing grants or purchase of mitigation equipment to reduce recurring costs.
Staff also detailed public-safety operations and a security incident in which a canine screening produced a false positive on a parked vehicle; state bomb-squad personnel investigated and found no device. The presentation covered enforcement activity (stops, citations and five DUI arrests) and described changes to operations for future events, including later start times for sound checks, tighter contractual limits on sound levels, possible stage reconfiguration and hiring an on-site city-authorized sound representative.
The report concluded by asking the council to consider continued investment and a path toward a 64% cost-recovery target for the event in 2025 through increased ticket sales, sponsorship growth and grant applications. Staff also recommended further engagement with nearby neighbors, implementation of engineering recommendations and continued monitoring of vendor, ticketing and marketing metrics.
The council accepted the presentation and took public questions; staff said more detailed budget and timing decisions about continuation after 2025 would likely return to the council in the first quarter of next year.
