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Council approves agreement to restore VIP Records sign, refers 'VIP Records Park' name to committee
Summary
Council authorized the city to manage refurbishment and public display of the VIP Records sign under a licensing agreement with VIP Records, including a five‑year license and revenue‑share terms; the naming request for 'VIP Records Park' will follow the city’s naming process in the Government Operations & Efficiency Committee.
The Long Beach City Council on Jan. 6 authorized a licensing and refurbishment agreement with Kelvin (Calvin) Anderson and VIP Records that will return the iconic VIP Records sign to public view at the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and initiate the naming process for "VIP Records Park."
Staff described key terms of the agreement: the city receives a five‑year license to publicly display the sign with a five‑year extension option; the city will contribute to refurbishment costs (staff cited up to $30,235 in one passage and referred to prior program funds held in Public Works), reimburse transportation and installation costs, and set licensing fees with a revenue‑share split for sublicense revenue. The city will manage procurement to select a contractor to refurbish the sign and will set aside a small annual reserve for routine maintenance.
Why it matters: VIP Records is recognized in testimony as an internationally known, locally rooted cultural institution. Multiple community speakers — including Kelvin and Tanisha Anderson, arts organizations, and residents — urged the council to restore the sign and to designate a nearby open space to honor the store’s cultural legacy. Councilmembers emphasized its local historical and cultural significance and supported moving forward.
Public comment and council action: More than a dozen speakers praised VIP Records’ role in Long Beach music and youth mentorship. During council discussion, members highlighted the community and placemaking value of returning the sign to public view and committed to continued community engagement on site design; the council voted to authorize execution of the agreement and referred the naming request to the Government Operations & Efficiency Committee for review under Administrative Regulation 8‑07.
Next steps: Public Works will proceed with an RFP to select a contractor for refurbishment and installation; the naming request will proceed through the city’s established naming review process before final council action.
