Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Grand jury urges TID renewal, subsidies and focused street task force to sustain Moscone27s convention business
Summary
The committee heard a civil grand jury report warning that Moscone Convention Center faces competitive cost and street-safety challenges; the jury recommended advocating for Tourism Improvement District renewal, a $2.5 million subsidy pot, additional patrols for large events and a task force; the committee amended the board27s response and recommended it to the full Board.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee on Dec. 3 received the civil grand jury27s report "Sustain Our City27s High-Performing Moscone Convention Center," which urged proactive steps to keep San Francisco competitive for business events.
Peter Mills, who chaired the grand jury27s Moscone investigation, told the committee that Moscone drives tax revenue and jobs but that cost, perceived insecurity and street cleanliness have led some conventions to leave. "If we stand for, if we stand up for the Moscone Convention Center, we're standing up for revenue for our city," Mills said.
The report recommended four principal actions: (1) promote and assist renewal of the Tourism Improvement District (TID); (2) establish a $2.5 million strategic fund to subsidize selected conventions; (3) assign three additional uniformed patrol officers per 10,000 expected attendees for events after July 1, 2021 (not by hiring new officers but by prioritizing assignments or using 10B paid details); and (4) form a focused task force to improve street conditions around the convention center.
City respondents acknowledged the center27s importance but cautioned that some recommendations depend on other parties and on finances. Lisa Pagan of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development said the city cannot unilaterally renew a TID: "The city does review the plan. The city provides technical assistance and we are currently working with the San Francisco Tourism Improvement District Management Corporation to create the timeline for the renewal," she said, and explained that assessed hotels must approve a management plan and petition before any renewal move.
Commander Walsh of the San Francisco Police Department27s Southern District explained how event policing typically works and that organizers commonly use the 10B process to pay for event-specific officers rather than drawing permanently on beat assignments.
Public comment included extensive testimony from hospitality employers, industry associations and unions who urged support for the recommendations and highlighted the economic stakes. Joe D'Alessandro of San Francisco Travel cited an example: a nonprofit conference with a $672,000 Moscone rent could support 11,537 jobs and generate $66 million in economic impact and $3.1 million in local taxes, he said.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin proposed edits to the board response to reflect legal limits on TID renewal and fiscal reality; the committee adopted those amendments, recommended the amended resolution to the full Board and filed the hearing. The Moscone response will be considered by the Board on Dec. 15.
