Tulare council approves $160,000 to shore up Zumwalt Park concert series after midseason report

City staff presented a midseason update on the Zumwalt Park/Adventist Health Amphitheater concert series. Staff said the series has hosted 7 of 12 planned shows, reported operator revenue of roughly $436,135 and operator expenses of about $418,861 to date, and estimated a remaining funding gap near $181,000. Staff requested a $160,000 one‑time allocation to help cover operations through December and said the city has identified one‑time funding sources (greater-than-anticipated investment earnings, loan repayments and other nonbudgeted receipts) to cover the request.

Council members pressed for more granular financial transparency — itemized P&Ls showing what public dollars paid for artist deposits, production, marketing and operations — and many asked how much of the costs were being borne by the operator versus the city. Operator Todd Spielman and staff said Spade Entertainment has been reinvesting sponsorship revenue and operator funds back into the series; staff committed to produce a clearer vendor-level breakdown and a summary of public funds paid to vendors. After debate, council voted to approve the staff recommendation and the one‑time $160,000 allocation; council also directed staff to provide a more detailed accounting of public expenditures and operator contributions.