[0:00] First meeting of the new year. Uh, we wish you the very best.
[0:04] we, we hope, uh, uh, you didn't get too sick during the holiday. I know it
[0:08] was a whole lot going around, but you showed up and you're here. There must be some good things
[0:12] on the agenda tonight. Uh, we're gonna go ahead and call the meeting to order.
[0:16] roll call please. Councilwoman sinha.
[0:22] councilwoman allen. Present. Council member duggan.
[0:26] here. Councilman ana. Here. Councilwoman kerr. Present councilwoman
[0:30] sorrow. Present vice mayor uranga. What is present name? Councilman
[0:34] thrash ook? Here. Council member rick oti. Here. Mayor
[0:38] richardson. I am here. We have a quorum. Alright, so council member allen
[0:42] is joining us remotely. Uh, council members in dejas is under the weather.
[0:47] uh, and we are gonna start with the pledge of allegiance led by council member ricks oti.
[0:51] uh, thank you mayor. Um, well here we go. Well, I was also gonna do a
[0:55] moment of silence, but we can stand up too for that too. Um, the only thing I was
[0:59] gonna say is, uh, we have a lot going on in our world, both nationally, locally,
[1:03] nationally, internationally. And a lot of times, I think when we start the new year, we
[1:08] think about those things that we left behind in 2025 and those things that are to come in 2026.
[1:13] and so, I, um, invite you to take a moment of silence
[1:17] to consider those things that did not serve you last year, that won't allow you to
[1:21] be the person that you need to be in 2026 to show up for your family, for your community,
[1:25] um, and for yourself. Um, and so contemplate those things during that moment
[1:29] of silence. And then we will join together and do the pledge of allegiance.
[1:51] join me in standing if you are able to do the pledge of allegiance.
[1:56] hand over your heart. I pledge allegiance to the flag
[2:00] of the united states of america and to the republic for allegiance
[2:05] stands, one nation under god, indivisible,
[2:09] with a justice.
[2:13] alright, thank you. Council member ricks oti. Alright, so we have no
[2:17] presentations. Uh, tonight we'll have our consent calendar. We'll report
[2:21] out from closed session. We'll handle, um, uh, our first
[2:25] few items. Then we'll do, uh, public comment, and then our hearing. So
[2:30] let's start with, uh, consent calendar items one through
[2:34] 10 and 12 through 30. We're gonna withdraw. We're gonna pull items 12
[2:38] and 13 to handle separately. So do we have a motion? Let's,
[2:43] we need, uh, we need voice motions tonight, right?
[2:47] all yes. If we can get a verbal, verbal motion. So, I see vice mayor yanga
[2:51] and council member thresh took, uh, it's been moved and seconded.
[2:55] any public comment on consent? I can't say
[3:01] no public comment on consent. All right. So we're gonna go to roll call, vote
[3:05] please. District one, district two.
[3:10] I'm sorry. Councilwoman
[3:14] allen. District three.
[3:18] aye. District four. Aye. District five. Aye. District six.
[3:22] aye. District seven. Aye. District eight. Aye. District nine,
[3:29] district nine. Aye. Motion is carried. Alright,
[3:33] good. Thank you. Now we're gonna go to item 12. Uh, we list read
[3:37] the item, then I'm gonna recuse myself report from economic development
[3:41] recommendation to execute all documents necessary for an amended and restated
[3:46] lease between the city of long beach and the long beach museum of art foundation,
[3:50] a california nonprofit corporation to extend and modify certain terms
[3:54] of the lease and authorize to execute all documents necessary for
[3:58] an amended and restated agreement to manage art collection between the city of long
[4:03] beach and the long beach museum of our foundation. A california nonprofit corporation
[4:08] extended and modified certain terms of the management agreement citywide. Alright, I have
[4:12] a recusal on this item related to the long beach museum of art. Uh,
[4:16] re, regarding the levi act, I need to need to recuse myself in this item.
[4:20] I previously accepted contribution from an individual ron nelson associ
[4:24] associated with the long beach museum of art foundation, which is a party to
[4:28] the subject agreement in item 12. I'm gonna hand it over to vice mayor uranga.
[4:35] thank you. Right, mayor, um, make that report
[4:39] for closed session. Oh, wait a minute. Wait. We have to
[4:43] item, we have to consider the items. If we can get a mover and a
[4:47] seconder for the item. A verbal mover and a seconder. Second.
[4:52] seconded by kerr. Motion by
[4:57] council district eight. Thank you. Okay. Any point,
[5:01] comment. There is no public comment on this item. Aye. Let
[5:05] go do a roll call. Vote. District two.
[5:10] aye. District three aye. District four. Aye. District five.
[5:15] aye. District six. Aye. District seven
[5:20] aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye. Motion
[5:25] is carried. Okay. Now we'll take a look at the, uh, poll
[5:29] items. Item 13, report
[5:33] from economic development and opportunity and health and human services.
[5:37] recommendation to execute all documents necessary for a new lease with
[5:41] a day's, I'm not sure how to say this last
[5:46] name. Doing business as first
[5:50] response, healthcare for the establishment of a medical clinic in the ronald rres
[5:54] health equity center in city owned houghton park. District nine.
[5:58] thank you. We're gonna go to council member ricks oti for comment.
[6:02] oh oh. Do we need a motion? And a second out? First
[6:06] move motion by council member ricks oti. Second by council member thrash. And took. Thank you.
[6:11] um, I think you want staff report? Yeah. Uh, while I'll make, well yeah, make
[6:15] your comments. Introduce, I'll make my comments. This is a good item. I, uh, this, it's a great item. So I just wanted to,
[6:20] I I wanted to highlight this up. 'cause this item advances our shared commitment to health equity
[6:24] and access to care in north long beach by activating the existing city owned space at howton
[6:28] park for expanding medical services. Um, the ron, ras health equity center, health
[6:32] equity center, for those of you don't know, uh, was created to serve communities that are historically
[6:36] underserved. And this lease directly supports that mission. Uh, this lease allows a medical
[6:40] clinic to operate five days a week, significantly expanding the services beyond
[6:44] the limited one week use that previously existed at that time when federal, at
[6:48] a time when federal funding cuts have reduced our sti and hiv prevention and treatment
[6:52] resources. This partnership helps restore critical services locally res
[6:56] be able to access care in a trusted, familiar, neighborhood based setting, reducing
[7:01] barriers related to transportation cost and system navigation. Um,
[7:05] utilities are included, the leases of fair market value. And over the initial three terms,
[7:09] the really the city anticipates. Um, you know, I'll,
[7:13] I'll say this, this represents a cost effective use of city owned space that would otherwise be
[7:18] underutilized. Uh, this item reflects smart mission, aligned use of city assets
[7:22] to meet real community needs. And legitimately, um, we had
[7:26] an underutilized space at the rres health equity center. We have been trying to find
[7:30] a really high quality vendor, um, that could produce the services, um,
[7:34] that our community needs. Um, and so I am happy to see that we have
[7:38] found such a vendor. Um, and I wanna thank our city staff for working
[7:42] diligently, uh, to do so. Um, and bringing someone on, um, that will support
[7:46] our community. And so I will turn it over to our wonderful city staff, uh, to share
[7:50] their perspective. Good evening. Uh,
[7:55] I believe that dr. Des is indeed in the audience. We'd just simply like to have
[7:59] her stand. Um, if she is here, we were told that she is.
[8:03] um, there she is. Okay. Um, so she will be providing,
[8:08] um, many general services to the community in a space that has not been
[8:12] activated as a clinic for some time. And so we, um,
[8:16] graciously welcome her into that space to serve this underserved community
[8:21] and look forward to her operationalizing within the next
[8:25] 90 to 120 days. Wonderful.
[8:29] so, uh, wonderful. Thank you so much staff. Um, and thank you and welcome to
[8:33] long beach and district nine. Uh, council member
[8:37] thra. No comment. Thank you. Alright. Uh, congratulations to,
[8:42] to the ninth district. Um, this center, the ron
[8:46] arias health equity center was our first health equity center we've ever developed in
[8:50] the city. It was taken underutilized space at some one point. It was a childcare center,
[8:55] and now it offers a number of services. A clinic was designed to go
[8:59] in there, but we used to run it ourselves. And based on impacts from,
[9:03] uh, the, the current presidential administration, we got cuts.
[9:07] huge opportunities. So we're so glad that the councilwoman has stepped up to really find,
[9:12] uh, an opportunity here to bring in healthcare in an
[9:16] actual clinic. So, good job to keep, uh, this health equity center
[9:20] open and these services available to the community. And good job, to our health, health department
[9:25] and, and to the good doctor. It's nice to meet you. Welcome to the long beach community. All right. That
[9:29] said, uh, let's, any, we already did public comment. Let's do a roll call. Vote please.
[9:35] district two aye. District three
[9:39] aye. District four. Aye. District five. Aye. District six.
[9:44] aye. District seven. Aye. District eight. Aye. District nine.
[9:48] aye. Motion is carried. Alright. Report out from closed session please.
[9:53] thank you, maura. Mayor, we have no report from closed session. The best kind of report.
[9:57] alright, now we're gonna go to, um, uh, hearing item 31,
[10:09] report from economic development and opportunity recommendation to receive supporting
[10:13] documentation into the record. Conclude the public hearing and adopt a resolution. Continuing
[10:18] the bixby knolls parking and business improvement area assessment. Levy districts
[10:22] five and eight. Alright, we're gonna go to staff for the staff report
[10:27] if we can get a verbal motion and a second move. All right. Move. Five. Second
[10:32] eight.
[10:36] okay. Um, tonight we have julian nita, business development bureau manager and
[10:41] bo martinez, economic development and opportunity
[10:45] team. Good evening, honorable mayor and members of the city council.
[10:50] the bixby knows parking and business improvement area, also known as the business improvement
[10:55] district was established by the city council in 1989. And this allows for the
[10:59] levy of an annual assessment to be paid by the businesses located in that district.
[11:03] the city contracts with the bisby knows business improvement association to manage the business improvement
[11:08] district, as well as the association's board of directors, um, which serves
[11:12] as the advisory board to the city council on matters related to the district
[11:18] state law governing this district requires that an annual report be approved by the city council.
[11:23] the annual report describes its boundaries, propose activities, and budgetary information,
[11:27] as well as the method and basis for the continuation of the assessment. Daniel
[11:31] report also proposes, um, does not propose any district boundary
[11:35] changes, uh, method of assessment and no significant change to the proposed activities
[11:39] as well. State law finally requires that a republic hearing be held in a proposed program
[11:43] and assessment at it. December 9th, 2025, meeting the city council approved the
[11:48] resolution, granting approval of the annual report to current the intention of the city council to vy
[11:52] the assessment and set. Today as the date of public hearing, city council shall hear
[11:56] and consider all protests from members of the bbu of parking and business improvement area
[12:00] against the assessment programs or boundaries of the area as proposed in the annual
[12:04] report. This concludes my, uh, the staff report. Thank you very much.
[12:09] alright, thank you. This is the hearing. So we'll go straight to public comment. Is there any public comment here?
[12:15] there's hearing
[12:20] I have no public comment. Public comment on the hearing. On the hearing, yeah. We'll call for general
[12:24] club to comment in a bit. There's no public comment on the hearing. Thank you. We'll go to, uh, back to the
[12:28] daas council member kerr. Yes. Um, thank you team for your continued
[12:32] engagement and support of our business improvement districts. Um, especially this one in bixby
[12:37] knowles. I wanna thank blair cohen, the executive director and his administrative team,
[12:41] as well as the board and president crystal rogers for their continued support of small businesses
[12:45] in the bixby knowles area. We look forward to another robust year filled with great events,
[12:50] um, and business development. So thank you so much. And first fridays.
[12:56] absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you a lot for my, my, uh, congratulations.
[13:00] this is an outstanding bid. Uh, blair and the team and crystal, they do
[13:04] an incredible job for our city and, and they're leaders amongst leaders. So we want to
[13:08] con continue to support you in the work that you do. Uh, that said,
[13:12] roll call, vote please. Council, district two. Council member
[13:16] th took I didn't see you here. Go for it. No, you're good. She's good. See? Okay.
[13:21] all right. All right. Uh, roll call. Vote please. District two
[13:26] aye. District three aye. District four. Aye.
[13:30] district five. Aye. District six. Aye. District seven, aye.
[13:34] district eight, aye. District nine. Aye. Motion is carried.
[13:38] alright. Uh, motion is carried. We'll now go to item 34,
[13:45] report from economic development and opportunity recommendation to increase appropriations
[13:49] in the tidelands area fund group and the economic development and opportunity department
[13:54] by 7,314,000 to fund higher site improvement,
[13:59] pre-opening services and furniture fixtures and equipment
[14:03] costs for the development of the long beach amphitheater. Offset by the venue's
[14:07] future net operating profit district one. Alright, thank
[14:11] you. So this is, uh, an important item. Uh, the next few items
[14:15] all, uh, are related to our strategy around grow long beach, growing our economy,
[14:19] generating new, uh, exciting forms of revenue for our city,
[14:23] and an economy that represents who we are. The culturally dynamic
[14:27] community of long beach. Two years ago, uh, we proposed an amphitheater.
[14:32] it was just an idea. Uh, and today we're taking real steps
[14:36] toward opening a world class venue to help support arts and bring revenue to
[14:40] our city. Uh, we're very proud of this. Uh, as plans came together
[14:45] and, uh, we began to develop interests from artists and performers
[14:49] and partners and sponsors, as that interest grew, it became
[14:53] clear that we need to invest in a higher quality amphitheater.
[14:57] uh, and that was the right move for our city. And so this approved, this approach
[15:02] strengthens our long-term success of the venue, while creating economic benefits
[15:06] for long beach, uh, including more folks shopping in our restaurants,
[15:10] in our hotels, and, and staying in our, uh, in our city. Uh,
[15:15] now we're looking ahead to a soft opening this spring and a full grand opening this summer.
[15:19] more details to come, uh, next week at our state of the city address. We have a presentation,
[15:24] uh, from staff to really dive into what this presentation, what this
[15:28] proposal is today. So we'll hand it over to mr. Moca. Thank you very much, mayor. And, uh, the
[15:32] attorney is letting us know we need a motion in a second before we proceed. Motion and
[15:36] second verbal. I see nine and
[15:41] eight. Thank you. Great. All right. Well, thank you, mr. Mayor. I think you summed
[15:45] that up. I was gonna make some very similar points. So, um, this project has come together very, very
[15:49] quickly. Uh, this has been, uh, part of our, uh, strategy to increase revenue
[15:53] for the city without going to taxpayers. So, uh, city services need to be paid
[15:57] for, uh, by, by revenue. And so this is a way, uh, to actually bring people
[16:01] into the city, have an amazing experience, grow our brand, uh, and also,
[16:05] uh, um, help the city's, uh, titles and general fund budget at the same time.
[16:09] and, uh, we're prepared to go pretty deep into this tonight to get you comfortable with the numbers and
[16:14] go through what has changed in the past year. Uh, but, uh, bottom line, we found that
[16:18] with additional investment into this project, we can actually generate additional revenue,
[16:22] uh, and that way we can maximize the economic impact of this new asset.
[16:26] and so the project you see tonight pays for itself. It does not have, you know, a subsidy.
[16:30] it actually not only pays for itself and pays back the capital, it will generate
[16:34] a surplus to help support the tidelands. And then in addition to everything that you hear tonight, all
[16:39] the numbers, uh, there will also be additional economic activity for people that go to our
[16:43] restaurants and park in our parking lots, uh, and come, uh, and stay in our hotels
[16:47] as they experience, uh, the, the amphitheater and all of that would be additional.
[16:52] uh, and that would be, you know, helping to support citywide services, uh, throughout the entire
[16:56] city. And so we take this very, very seriously. Uh, we've also looked at, um, sponsorship
[17:01] and marketing revenues. And you'll see tonight, uh, that with a better facility, we
[17:05] get additional interest in that, which helps pay, uh, for the facility. And right now,
[17:09] um, just, uh, conservatively about half of the facility will be paid for outta those
[17:13] revenues, which we'll talk about tonight. So we did wanna, uh, really dive into this,
[17:17] uh, and I will turn it over to bo to, um, talk a little bit about the overview and then to
[17:21] the team to get into the details. Thank
[17:25] you. City manager moca, uh, mayor, city council, beau martinez, director of
[17:29] economic development. This game changing project is more than a
[17:34] construction project. When we think about the amphitheater, it is an investment
[17:38] in long beach's economic future, and the vibrancy of our downtown, our
[17:42] waterfront, and city as a whole. The amphitheater is intentionally
[17:46] designed to activate and support the queen mary district building on the activation
[17:51] and investment that's already underway in this area. It
[17:55] also directly advances one of our fastest growing, grow long beach
[17:59] targeted industry sectors, tourism, hospitality,
[18:03] music, entertainment, and sports. Has
[18:07] with major projects across the region, state, and the nation. The
[18:12] updated costs reflect current labor and construction marketing conditions,
[18:16] enhanced site requirements, furniture, fixtures, and equipment,
[18:21] and other refinements to ensure that the venue is safe, competitive,
[18:26] and is financially stable for many years to come.
[18:30] this venue also creates an opportunity to create more visitors,
[18:35] generate new revenue streams that flows back to the city that helps support the high quality
[18:39] community services and amenities that our residents, businesses
[18:43] and visitors continue to enjoy. Downtown long beach and
[18:47] our city thrives when people culture and activity come
[18:52] together. The amphitheater will serve as a catalyst for small
[18:56] businesses, jobs, creation, tourism, while
[19:00] positioning, our city has a premier and competitive
[19:04] destination for live music, entertainment, and placemaking
[19:09] for many years to come. The long
[19:13] beach amphitheater is a transformative city led project, designed in partnership,
[19:17] one with one of the nation's premier entertainment venue
[19:22] operators, legends global. As mentioned, this intriguing venue is
[19:26] uniquely situated location on the waterfront adjacent to the queen mary
[19:31] overlooking our vibrant downtown queensway bay.
[19:35] and it's designed to support concerts, music festivals, and many
[19:39] community events. This project is,
[19:43] is an integral component of the grow long beach initiative. And
[19:48] out of this initiative came rise revenue innovation
[19:52] and strategic enhancements with the goal, investing in new revenue generating
[19:56] opportunities, leveraging city owned assets strategically,
[20:02] and building on all the activations and events that are happening in downtown
[20:06] along our waterfront and throughout the city. And with that, I'm gonna,
[20:10] um, have johnny of vallejo, deputy director for economic development and opportunity to,
[20:14] uh, move forward on the rest of the presentation.
[20:24] thank you, bo. Good evening, mayor and council. As you likely recall, in april
[20:28] this past year, the council approved appropriation for the amphitheater project and
[20:32] selected legends global to manage and operate the venue. The original, uh,
[20:36] originally improved $14 million. Project development budget included approximately
[20:40] $4 million for parking, transit and ride share improvements that benefited
[20:44] the broader campus supporting queen mary carnival and other onsite operations,
[20:49] and would've been re required regardless of the amphitheater project,
[20:55] the project has seen considerable progress in a relatively short time since the
[20:59] april preparation and operator selection. The council approved the purchase of major
[21:03] components of the venue over the summer and before year end. The project,
[21:07] uh, received both planning commission and harbor commission approvals in mid-november.
[21:11] the operator also began to announce shows at the venue.
[21:16] here we see a recently developed rendering showcasing the venue's expansive queen
[21:21] berry and long beach skyline views.
[21:27] in addition to the aforementioned venue development progress, the legends global team is moving
[21:31] quickly towards a summer kickoff. Legends global has assembled their core leadership
[21:35] team, having hired the venue's, general manager, director of booking, marketing
[21:39] manager, and finance manager. Additionally, legends global has tapped into their
[21:43] vast network of expertise to support marketing, sponsorships, and business
[21:48] development. The long beach amphitheater team has launched a venue website and social
[21:52] media channels, and its continuing outreach to promoters and talent managers, sponsorship
[21:56] and naming rights partners and future concert goers.
[22:00] two concerts have already been announced and legends global has developed a strong pipeline
[22:04] for concerts, events, and partnerships yet to be announced.
[22:12] while a good amount of progress has been made, there's also been considerable change in both
[22:16] the development and operating markets that have impacted the project and require
[22:20] cost increases. Factors impacting the overall project costs include
[22:24] the following, the refinement of site plans and designs identified operational
[22:29] needs not previously contemplated. There have been increases to construction and
[22:33] labor costs, exacerbated by wildfire related reconstruction and shortages
[22:37] in the labor trades market. There have been tariff related material price
[22:41] increases, construction materials and ff and e components were significantly
[22:45] impacted by these cost increases. We've added sustainability features and
[22:50] improved public transit integration at an added cost. And finally, the market
[22:54] demand to accommodate a more premium venue has necessitated enhanced
[22:58] guest and artist facing amenities.
[23:03] to complete this important project and address the aforementioned cost impacts city staff
[23:08] estimates, estimates an additional appropriation of $7.3 million
[23:12] is required. This additional use of funding is generally broken down as follows,
[23:17] $2.2 million for increase construction costs, 4.3 million
[23:21] for expanded and upgraded ff and e to elevate the venue experience for guests
[23:26] and performers. $400,000 for an extended pre-opening
[23:30] period as the opening date was pushed slightly from spring to summer of this year
[23:34] and $414,000 for contingency,
[23:38] the additional funding would come from titleless fund, which has sufficient idle cash now
[23:42] to allow the city to pay for the estimated $21.3 million project cost.
[23:47] net operating profit will be used to pay back the titles fund with payments anticipated to
[23:51] be made annually, somewhere between 2.4 and $3 million per year.
[23:56] the estimated payback period is approximately eight years.
[24:01] bless you. Legends global has submitted an updated five year pro forma
[24:05] to reflect the shorter initial opening year. A more accurate assessment of available concert
[24:09] dates and potential labor impacts accounting for local and regional wage drivers.
[24:14] while the cost of operations increased significantly, the diligence of the legends global team
[24:19] and strong market demand have allowed the venue to remain well positioned into
[24:23] the future. Significant anticipated increases in gross revenue will help
[24:27] offset the increasing operating costs. This anticipated
[24:32] increase in revenue growth, though is contingent on the venue meeting the expectations of guests,
[24:36] promoters, and artists. These expectations include elevated food and
[24:40] beverage offerings, premium vip experiences, and competitive and
[24:44] appropriate artists and promoter accommodations.
[24:49] these elevated offerings, including upgraded furniture, fixture and equipment, and
[24:54] expanded vip experiences are essential to driving higher revenue from premium
[24:58] seating and sponsorships. So even though the current market and
[25:02] economic pressures had driven up costs, a higher quality venue is expected to
[25:06] sustain or even grow market demand and revenue to offset these costs.
[25:10] capturing this revenue potential requires the additional upfront investment to deliver
[25:14] an elevated guest promoter and artists experience.
[25:21] to be clear that while a portion of this appropriation request is to address development cost
[25:25] increases, a significant portion is to improve the design and deliver a better
[25:29] final product. The feedback received from promoters, artists and potential guests
[25:33] was overwhelming excitement for the unique waterfront location and its proximity
[25:38] to la and orange counties. But it was also made clear that the experience needs to meet
[25:42] the standards set by peer venues. The amp team believes
[25:46] the additionally funded fff and e improvements such as improved premium seating and vip
[25:50] seats and stage screens shown here will ensure the venue meets that
[25:54] standard. The vip lounge also
[25:59] seen here will not only meet the expectations of premium guests, but it's uniquely
[26:03] situated to retain stage views from the area. Additionally, improved food
[26:07] and beverage facilities throughout the amphitheater will allow the venue to provide more premium
[26:11] offerings, including freshly prepared foods and cocktails not originally
[26:15] contemplated. In the more temp feel of the original design
[26:22] staff utilized a relatively conservative 3.2% annual growth
[26:26] escalator per year six through 10 to prepare a 10 year projection,
[26:30] which estimates a 10 year profit for the venue of $28.7 million.
[26:35] after development cost recovery, the estimated 10 year net profit for the venue
[26:39] is estimated $7.4 million. I'd like to emphasize,
[26:43] as mentioned previously here, this does not include additional financial and
[26:47] economic benefits, which are anticipated to be significant. The amphitheater
[26:52] is expected to increase visitor traffic and spending in downtown and businesses across the
[26:56] city. Guests are anticipated to further strengthen the local long beach
[27:00] hospitality industry growing both sales tax and tot.
[27:04] and the project will result in numerous new temporary and permanent jobs,
[27:08] is the intention of the department to conduct a comprehensive economic impact report,
[27:13] uh, upon completion of the third year of operations to document these broader economic impacts.
[27:21] next step for the amphitheater project include the following major site work to begin
[27:25] this month, followed by seating stage and ff and e installation in
[27:29] late february, early march. City and legends global will host
[27:33] a groundbreaking ceremony this month and release promotional media legend
[27:37] global will continue planning and hiring for venue operations. And anticipation
[27:42] is building for a naming sponsor, which will occur before venue opening. And I note
[27:46] here that demand had been significantly higher than originally contemplated.
[27:51] and finally, the venue will begin planning to host soft opening events in anticipation
[27:55] of the summer 2026 grand opening.
[28:00] with that, the city team and operator are excited and confident this project will be an
[28:04] integral part of the growth and reposition of the long beach waterfront as a premier entertainment
[28:08] destination and amenity residents can be proud of. Additionally, the venue
[28:12] is expected to become a revenue generator and economic driver
[28:17] with that. And we respectfully request your consideration and we'll continue to work diligently on
[28:21] this important project. Thank you. This concludes our staff report.
[28:25] alright, well thank you so much for that presentation. Uh, I think,
[28:29] um, uh, it's certainly come a long way from,
[28:34] um, color pencil drawings, uh, to,
[28:38] uh, what we see today. Uh, we're excited to finally break, break
[28:42] ground on this, but we also wanna remind folks we gotta do things differently.
[28:46] our revenue is changing in our city. Our city is no longer iowa by the
[28:50] sea. We don't have oil revenue coming in into tidelands the way we used to.
[28:54] we have to be more entrepreneurial as a city. This is one low hanging
[28:59] fruit, uh, revenue opportunity that's also fun. And it supports our
[29:03] small businesses, our restaurants, our retailers who
[29:07] their bottom line hasn't been, uh, what it used to be prior to the pandemic. So we have
[29:11] to take some shots and some opportunities. Others are betting on long beach already with
[29:15] the olympics and everyone else already betting on long beach. I think it's time that we bet on ourselves
[29:20] and create the opportunities, uh, to generate revenue in our city. Uh,
[29:24] I'll also say what's responsible about this. We're being very conservative in this pro forma.
[29:28] uh, they showed a total cost of, uh, $21 million to build
[29:32] this venue. Um, 4 million was already committed to the, you know, emergency
[29:37] improvements in the parking lot would've been done anyway. So really it's $17 million,
[29:41] but there was a slide there that showed 11 million in private sponsorships
[29:46] and private, um, um, uh, right naming rights and other opportunities
[29:50] already, uh, secured. So you're talking about 17 million minus
[29:55] 11, you're talking about 6 million outlay. And if you see,
[29:59] uh, what the capital net projections are, three to 4 million bucks each year
[30:03] in the first few years, that's a smart and responsible play without issuing
[30:07] any debt to make it happen. And so we haven't had an opportunity like this in a long time.
[30:12] uh, I support, uh, this, uh, decision moving forward, uh, because
[30:16] we need to invest in a high quality venue. We're in the hottest entertainment market
[30:20] anywhere in america here in southern california, and we're competing with inglewood.
[30:25] we're competing with downtown la uh, the hollywood bowl. And we need
[30:29] to get our share. I think strategically the size of venue that we're building at 10 to 12,000
[30:34] participants is the right size. You're not competing with the super big
[30:38] venues. We're in a space where we can really operate a lane between
[30:42] orange county, la county that books successful shows that can sell
[30:46] out. And so this is, this is, uh, you've done some incredible work and we
[30:50] look forward to taking the next steps. Uh, we're gonna go to council member ricks odi then council
[30:55] member th took, uh, thank you mayor. And I think your, um, framing comments
[30:59] were, uh, spot on. Um, and so I'll just, um, add that I know a lot of work
[31:03] has gone into this project and that will continue into the future. And so thank you to the
[31:07] economic development team and the work that you've done. Um, I really appreciate the seed's commitments to the project
[31:11] as we seek to not only continue to make the city of long beach, uh, landmark and a destination,
[31:15] but also to diversify our revenue streams. And that's what the rise initiative is really about.
[31:19] I also appreciate the way we as the city are committed to transparency and run our costs and
[31:24] the unanticipated challenges that come with any new initiative. I'm looking forward to
[31:28] opening day, welcoming new visitors to long beach and securing the best artists.
[31:32] um, and lastly, um, I wanted to highlight the fact that you had the focus on economic
[31:36] outcomes. Conducting the economic impact study after the third year, I think really allows
[31:41] us to truly assess its impact, do any kind of course corrections improvements, uh, to
[31:45] continue to make, uh, this initiative, um, as successful as it possibly can be. So
[31:49] again, thank you so much for the continued work that you are doing, and I, um,
[31:53] may we rise together? Mm-hmm . Great point. I'll also notice,
[31:58] uh, I'll also state, which I think is important, is that,
[32:02] uh, this project is gonna benefit local jobs as well. So
[32:06] both the construction and the operation are, uh, quality
[32:11] union jobs that are gonna be able to support our local families, uh, council member ths and
[32:15] took. All right, thank you for that, mayor. And yes, this is
[32:19] exciting. I'm looking at the photos and I'm excited about the clarity that we're seeing in them
[32:23] now, and really pleased that the city is focused on testing some of those
[32:28] economic assumptions, uh, that we started with, with this project. So we
[32:32] have come a long way in the last six months, um, as, but as stewards
[32:36] of public funds, I just wanna make sure we fully understand how we are gonna be
[32:40] using these additional dollars, um, to ensure the long-term success
[32:44] of this facility. Its competitiveness and all the things that we described
[32:48] as the public value for this venue. So you've already mentioned
[32:53] as we march towards construction, uh, the world has changed.
[32:57] uh, we've got labor costs that are rising tariff related matters,
[33:01] um, and really because of the fires and other, uh, activities in the market,
[33:05] just construction, um, has really changed in our market. But I think
[33:09] that number of the items that you have in mind, um, are really smart. And
[33:14] I know that I certainly try and take the time to go around our, uh, our region
[33:18] to make sure that I get a sense of what entertainment venues are like. Um,
[33:22] and very pleased at some of the, uh, areas where you wanna make investments.
[33:27] so let's talk about, uh, one area associated with sustainability.
[33:31] um, in particular, we wanna have multimodal opportunities to
[33:35] be able to get to this site. And some of your, uh, improvements
[33:39] relate to transport, transit access, pedestrian circulation, and first
[33:44] and last mile connectivity. Can you just share a little bit about how, uh,
[33:48] the, this investment, uh, additional investment can help us make that happen?
[33:55] uh, council member th took. So we are, you know, really focusing on
[33:59] how we not only look at transportation mobility, but most importantly, how do we move
[34:03] people? And it's a true partnership. It's gonna be rideshare, it's gonna be using
[34:07] our water taxis, it's gonna be partnering up with long beach transit to
[34:11] bring people to and from the venue via buses, and also working with legends
[34:16] global. So all hands are gonna be on deck when it comes to transportation and
[34:20] mobility the first year. And we'll continue to meet not only as a city team, but
[34:24] with all our partners to making sure that if there are challenges with transportation, we'll address
[34:28] 'em and we'll look forward to providing solutions and making it better for people to
[34:32] move to and from the venue. But at the same time, providing them opportunities to park in city
[34:36] garages in downtown and long orland front lot waterfront like alamedo bay,
[34:41] and really taking advantage of the retail restaurants that are within our city. Yeah, council
[34:45] member, we've been very purposeful that people are gonna come from all over the place and we want them to have an experience.
[34:49] so whether you're coming on the blue line, uh, whether you're, or a line where you're coming from, um,
[34:54] down, uh, on the aqualink or you're coming over and parking in a garage, you have the ability
[34:58] to come to downtown, enjoy, go to, you know, go to a, um, a
[35:02] restaurant, be somewhere else in long beach, and then come down and then go over to the, um,
[35:06] to the amphitheater. So lots of different ways to both interact to get there and
[35:10] then to interact and get over to the amphitheater. Yes, we know how important that is to move
[35:14] people, get them there, and then to move them along accordingly. So,
[35:18] um, this particular proposal now, uh, really represents the sharpening of the
[35:22] pencils, um, and is really based on a lot of actual market
[35:27] understanding those who are in the professional field of bringing these kinds
[35:31] of venues and acts, uh, to the kind, the facility that we'll have.
[35:35] I know I've had a chance to speak with staff about the fact that you've had those conversations
[35:39] with those professionals. Um, can you just share with the public that, you
[35:43] know, the city has gone out and had conversations with those who are very
[35:47] knowledgeable about entertainment facilities and part of what we have done in
[35:51] the proposal here is bring those assumptions now sharpening them up
[35:56] to be able to move forward with this particular proposal.
[36:01] sure, yeah. So as, as we built out the design
[36:05] of the facility that obviously kind of sharpened the pencil with what was
[36:09] needed in order to meet the needs of, of, of guests. But really what we started to
[36:13] understand as we, uh, as the operator had conversations with promoters
[36:18] and artists is they had expectations as well. So in order to get
[36:22] those types of, of acts in place, if we want top tier acts, we need to
[36:26] have a facility that accommodates both promoters and guests. And frankly,
[36:31] it was enlightening for me to understand how much,
[36:35] how important the premium seating and premium aspect is to
[36:39] all of this. You know, general admission, uh, makes up a large contingent of a venue,
[36:44] but a a, a larger proportion of that revenue is driven by, by
[36:48] premium, uh, expectations. And so we were able to, to better understand that from
[36:52] both the needs of the guests, promoters and artists. And that's really what has driven, uh,
[36:56] a lot of this. And council member, our operator who we brought on to actually run this site, they do
[37:01] this across the country. So they are experts, legends global, they're one of the biggest ones that do this.
[37:05] it's considered an open venue. So they work with everybody. They don't work with just one promoter,
[37:09] but they get experiences from all these different promoters. We've had experience from
[37:13] both them and from promoters themselves saying, giving us input into the preliminary
[37:17] designs and saying, if you make these types of improvements, you can increase your revenues
[37:21] over here. We can bring you better shows, we can bring you more people, uh, which ma multiplies
[37:25] the economic impact. Thank you so much for that. Um, and then my final,
[37:30] I just, I know that, uh, you're looking at year three in terms of looking at some of
[37:34] the indirect benefits of this, uh, particular venue. You know, we've
[37:38] got the venue, uh, proforma, but we expect transit occupancy taxes,
[37:42] other sales taxes to come in. I would just say that, I don't know, three years might be too
[37:46] long down the line. I would wanna make sure, um, that we are capturing
[37:50] some understanding of how this we're benefiting as a city, uh, indirectly
[37:54] as quickly as one year and then going forward, um, so that we can have
[37:59] a, a good sense of where, you know, where, where that revenue might be coming from and those other places.
[38:03] so those are all my comments. Uh, I support this and look forward to us continuing
[38:08] to move forward. Thank you. Alright, thank you. Council member sorrow.
[38:12] yes, thank you mayor. And thank you to, um,
[38:16] this, the team and working so hard on the issue because it's, it
[38:20] was a lot to, to, I think it bring this forward and getting it through the permitting
[38:25] process and at times there are things
[38:29] you can predict and things you can't. And I think that it's important that
[38:33] we learn about that early on so that we're able to address it, uh, before
[38:37] we actually start breaking ground. So I'm glad that it's elise
[38:42] coming before us. I mean, how many of us have ever done a home renovation project
[38:46] and estimated a correct amount that first time around?
[38:51] I would love to meet you and hear how you did it. So,
[38:55] um, again, I think that there was a lot of careful consideration
[38:59] in thinking about how we're gonna offset this costs, we'll consider the projection
[39:03] and revenue. So I just wanted to add about, not in addition to what all
[39:07] the comments were made, um, you know, the utilization of this
[39:12] land, what was there before it, and, and if we didn't do this project
[39:16] to be creative about generating income, uh, what would be,
[39:20] what would be there? Well, in its
[39:24] current state, it would remain a parking lot. We rely on parking revenue to come
[39:28] in. Um, but looking forward and being strategic and looking
[39:33] at from a grow long beach initiative, we really felt this was an opportunity to
[39:37] really live up our game as it relates to that growth sector from tourism,
[39:41] hospitality, entertainment, music, and sports. And we did our due diligence and
[39:45] we felt that there was a hole in the market when it came to live
[39:50] music and entertainment. And we also knew that there was a gap
[39:54] in the market when it came to large music venues. And you don't
[39:59] get a venue that's gonna be overlooking a world class waterfront, a
[40:03] vibrant downtown, which will bring visitors not only locally, but regionally,
[40:07] nationally and internationally. Mm-hmm . Thank you for that. Director martinez. I think this
[40:11] is strategic and smart and really also utilizing underutilized
[40:16] space. Much rather have an amphitheater than a parking lot. I also
[40:20] think it's highlighting uplifting the roots and history as a mayor have shared,
[40:24] uh, a lot is our roots in music and entertainment and really being able
[40:28] to lift that up and showcasing it. So I, I'm proud that we're
[40:33] able to take this opportunity to address multiple needs,
[40:37] but also be thoughtful about the future. Thank you. I'm supportive of this item.
[40:42] thank you. Council member thrash and took, has some comments from council members zendejas?
[40:47] yes. Thank you, mayor. Uh, councilwoman zendejas was not able to be here. She did
[40:51] provide a statement that I will read. Uh, the long beach amphitheater is an
[40:56] exciting forward thinking investment in our city's future. This project has the power
[41:00] to transform long beach into a premier destination for entertainment,
[41:04] arts, and culture, while significantly increasing tourism and generating
[41:08] meaningful sustainable revenue that will directly benefit our community.
[41:13] I'm encouraged by the thoughtful and conservative financial projections presented
[41:17] by staff and strongly, and I strongly believe in that vision.
[41:21] this is about creating something truly special for long beach, a vibrant,
[41:25] iconic venue that will energize our local economy, elevate
[41:29] our city's profile, attract visitors from across the region and beyond,
[41:34] and deliver long-term success for residents and local businesses alike.
[41:38] thank you. Thank you. Council member duggan.
[41:44] alright, thank you. Thanks for the questions and the comments from my colleagues before.
[41:49] um, I wanna start by saying that I do support the amphitheater project. I
[41:53] believe it will be a real asset for long beach. There is a strong
[41:58] market for concerts. People are going all the time and a unique
[42:02] waterfront amphitheater, uh, in southern california. It makes
[42:06] our coastline different in southern california, very unique.
[42:11] um, at the same time, this project has shifted
[42:15] from being a profit center to being viewed as more of an
[42:19] economic driver. I talked extensively
[42:24] with economic development about this, and when I look strictly at the numbers,
[42:28] it seems like, um, we could
[42:32] generate more direct revenue by placing the funds in an
[42:36] interest bearing account and renting out the existing lot
[42:40] that could make around the similar revenue.
[42:45] but I, I do believe the broader economic benefits of this project
[42:49] will be more significant than that option.
[42:53] the project has historically been evaluated
[42:58] as a profit center, so one of the things that I'm
[43:02] concerned about is I wanted to see a stronger explanation
[43:07] of the expected economic impact and how those benefits
[43:11] are being measured. I know that that's impossible
[43:15] at this moment, but, um, I hope that we start
[43:19] working on that so we can show those economic impacts.
[43:25] one of the questions I do have, um, you know,
[43:29] I, we talked about this being a 10 year,
[43:33] um, structure. What, can you go
[43:37] into more detail about it being 10 years? Is there a possibility
[43:41] this could last for 15 years that would, we would see more,
[43:46] uh, direct profit off of that? Can you share some information
[43:50] about that? Yeah, I'll jump in first and the team can support me. So,
[43:54] um, in, in the materials, in the letter, uh, we absolutely do have some of the details about
[43:58] the revenue performance. So, uh, um, unlike some other assets
[44:02] where you buy or you, um, fund that asset and you're using it to attract other
[44:07] investment, uh, that's where you really have to look at what, what is that investment going to
[44:11] generate in sales tax and tot and others. Uh, this is a different, uh, investment. This
[44:15] one actually pays for itself just within the operating costs of what
[44:19] it can bring in. And so, uh, we've seen strong performance from other very similar facilities.
[44:23] and so that's where we're, we are showing that it generates a profit of about two and a half to
[44:27] $3 million every year. Uh, and then that is what does the initial payback
[44:32] of the dollars that go back into tidelands funds, then we do expect that additional
[44:36] impact, uh, going on. And, uh, we can certainly come back a little sooner as soon as we get a
[44:40] year under our belt, see where we are with tot, see where we are with, uh, with others. But
[44:44] again, we're not counting on all that. So even if that number were zero, this number,
[44:48] this project still pencils, um, to get to your other question, uh,
[44:53] uh, of, um, five years or 10 years, um, yeah, it certainly could be there
[44:57] longer. So the idea is not to have this be our event space forever.
[45:01] the idea is to build an actual permanent event, um, space, uh, that's kind of in
[45:05] the long range plans. Uh, but that could be a very expensive facility and that needs
[45:09] to have a strong performer to do the same thing. So if we're able to show strong revenue growth
[45:13] here, that'll allow us to move into that space, but it's unknown. That could be
[45:17] in five years, it could be in 10 years, it could be in 15 years. In my experience, most
[45:22] of our facilities that are temporary last longer than the two or three or four or
[45:26] five years that we expect. Um, and, but we, it'll be on us to make sure that
[45:30] we're investing in it and keeping it up. Great. And,
[45:34] uh, thank you for that. Um, city manager moca,
[45:38] uh, one thing that you touched on, um, the amphitheater will
[45:43] be a tide lens asset and all revenue generated
[45:47] goes back into the tidelands funds. Can you walk through how that
[45:51] works and how repayment to the fund is expected to happen?
[45:55] absolutely. And that's the question we get is, you know, amphitheater is, is important, but you
[46:00] know, how does that balance with, you know, public safety or infrastructure or roads?
[46:04] um, actually they're very separate. Um, these are dollars that can only be spent on the coast.
[46:08] they cannot be used instead to do street repairs or park improvements
[46:12] or fund public safety. Uh, so that is, uh, within the t ends as you are very,
[46:16] very well aware. Um, so, uh, because this is such a unique revenue
[46:20] generating project, um, uh, we're not treating it like a normal public, uh, project
[46:24] where you have to have all the cash in hand or, um, to go and issue
[46:29] debt. Uh, we're actually able to use cash that we have within the tidelands, uh, build
[46:33] this because it immediately starts making money and use that revenue source to pay it back.
[46:37] that's different than another public project where most of our public projects are not
[46:41] designed to generate revenue. They're designed to put, to provide public benefit. And so,
[46:46] uh, uh, there will be a repayment schedule. The idea is, is when we make the
[46:50] profit, it basically goes right back into the same fund. There's no need for interfund
[46:54] borrowing or transferring. It's all within the same fund. Uh, and it, uh, those dollars will
[46:58] be paid back from, uh, the revenues, uh, that are generated.
[47:03] alright, that is, uh, great. Thanks for the explanation. Um,
[47:09] you know, I I I am concerned that the cost escalation has made the
[47:13] margins tighter than we expected before even starting
[47:17] construction. And that's what we're seeing here. But I think this project is gonna be
[47:21] profitable and successful in the long run, and the latest projections for
[47:25] the tidelands fund do show we need to come up,
[47:29] uh, and take some calculated chances on different revenue
[47:33] streams. So I think this has the potential to do that
[47:37] and I'm happy to support tonight. All right, great comments.
[47:42] I'll also note the 7 million, only about 2 million of that is cost escalation.
[47:46] about 4 million of that are intentional enhancements that generate
[47:51] more revenue. So I think that's important for the residents to know. It's not $7 million
[47:55] of cost enhancements, cost overruns, things like that. These 4 million were
[47:59] intentional to bring in premium spaces, which we're finding people will pay
[48:04] more for. And it generates more revenue separately from even naming
[48:08] rights or sponsorships. So we'll have even more updates on span
[48:12] on private dollars that are helping to support the construction of this and how that
[48:16] factors into the overall construction costs in months to come. As we're getting
[48:20] more interest in sponsorships and naming rights, it's still really early, but
[48:24] this getting a lot of excitement nationally and that bodes very well for
[48:28] our ability to deliver this without, without debt. Thank you so
[48:32] much. And just to put a finer point on that, if front me, mr. Mayor yeah. Give you a number to, to back up that point,
[48:36] uh, the performance shows that under this new model with these investments we're boosting gross revenue
[48:40] by 20% by 20.7% over what we had estimated
[48:44] when we first brought that to you. Right? So that's an $11 million difference. So it's an
[48:49] intentional, it's an intentional strategy to make it more profitable,
[48:53] more attractive venue, uh, uh, for the space that we have.
[48:57] uh, next council member kerr. Yes, thank you. I'll be brief. Um, I wanna thank,
[49:01] uh, the team for getting into the weeds tonight. Um, we know that there's a
[49:05] lot of talk and a lot of concerns. I wanna thank my council colleagues for bringing up really salient
[49:10] points that I think we've heard from our residents and our constituents across the city. Um,
[49:14] and I appreciate, um, the transparency of the conversation. The conversations that we have
[49:18] here aren't always easy. Um, we get to go back and we get to talk about
[49:22] the decisions that we made with our constituents, and you have provided information,
[49:26] um, that help us talk about how we're working through, um, to
[49:30] the answers that we need to get to tonight because this is an exciting conversation. Um, when
[49:34] dr. Soros said, what's there, now my, I I know exactly what's there now.
[49:38] um, and so people are into experiences
[49:43] and I am looking forward to the experiences, um, that we as local
[49:47] folks, as well as folks around the region can experience at this amphitheater.
[49:51] um, I appreciate the consideration of earlier
[49:55] than three years in terms of economic impact, and I think it would be really interesting to
[49:59] talk with our, our local partners, whether it's visit long beach, um, our downtown
[50:04] alliance and find kind of those ho hyper-local metrics that
[50:08] we may be able to measure more immediately. Um, as events come into the space,
[50:12] what's the difference in hotel rooms versus last time? What's the difference in restaurant revenue? So
[50:16] really identifying some of those hyper local partnerships to be able to
[50:21] tell a story sooner than those three years and maybe even sooner than those 18 months
[50:25] because we know, um, for some folks there will be an immediate impact,
[50:29] um, a positive impact for them. So I would ask that the team, while busy
[50:33] with all of the construction pieces of it, also look into how do we partner,
[50:37] uh, with folks in the immediate area to ask them to help us track
[50:41] success early on. Um, but again, uh, thank you to my
[50:46] colleagues for the conversation and to the team for bringing this to us.
[50:50] alright, council member superal, uh, thank you mayor. Um,
[50:54] I'm certainly a big fan of finding new revenue sources, so I,
[50:58] I certainly hope this works out. Um, I'd like to bring up,
[51:02] uh, a couple of points. You know, if I can wrench the fourth district into the conversation, I
[51:06] always do that. Um, so city manager said this is completely
[51:10] separate from infrastructure and, and, and, um, andit funding,
[51:14] but let's not lose sight of the fact that we need infrastructure to get the residents
[51:19] down to the venue. So let's get, uh, studebaker done and all the other,
[51:23] uh, uh, northwest quarters we're working on. Um, I also
[51:27] wanted to mention the, uh, municipal band, uh, because as
[51:31] I think council member dugin said, uh, long beach loves concerts. So for
[51:35] those of you don't know, 2026, it's the last year a public funding for the municipal
[51:40] band. And I've made a commitment to get the 20,
[51:44] uh, 2026 year of doing private fundraising for the 2027
[51:48] season. We hope that goes well, but I just like my council colleagues,
[51:53] um, to look at the money we're spending here tonight. And bear in mind, should
[51:57] we fall short on the private fundraising for less than a million dollars,
[52:01] you can get the municipal band for 10 years. So I just wanted to drop that on you.
[52:05] thank you. , the long beach municipal band is actually
[52:10] the oldest longest running municipal band in america. So,
[52:14] um, they actually started in this area, um, to
[52:18] bring people to the coastline. Uh, we created our own department,
[52:22] a department in the city of a municipal band to get people to come to the coastline. So it's history.
[52:26] so, uh, thank you for those comments, uh, to the council members again,
[52:30] um, soft opening, coming, uh,
[52:35] uh, yes, direct investment into titans revenue generator
[52:39] for titans, but it also supports those services and infrastructure. But
[52:43] how do we get general fund money outta this when people support our hotels? That's
[52:47] transit, occupancy tax, when people shop, that generates sales tax.
[52:52] so it creates multiple benefits that helps our overall, uh, long beach
[52:56] revenue picture. We're now gonna go to public comment. Uh, the first, uh,
[53:00] five speakers. John cross, cameron clark, samantha mellinger,
[53:05] steve goodling, dave shukla, and I see one more. John edmond.
[53:12] all right. John cross is up first after john is cameron.
[53:16] thank you mayor and council and city staff. I'm john cross.
[53:20] I'm vice president of development for, uh, long beach symphony, and
[53:24] I, I made a few comments to share, um, on behalf of the symphony.
[53:29] this our staff, the musicians, and our board of directors. We definitely
[53:33] stand in support of the amphitheater project. Um, currently we
[53:37] are in the midst of our 91st season. And as an arts leader in the city,
[53:41] the symphony is excited about the potential, um, that the amphitheater
[53:45] will bring to the greater region and for our own potential
[53:50] programming there. Um, we see the amphitheater as an opportunity to present
[53:54] wider and more diverse programming outside of our current classical and pop seasons.
[53:58] it's an opportunity to build on our musical bridges program, um, that
[54:03] is intended to connect music with all the diverse communities across long beach.
[54:07] um, we're grateful that the city has prioritized the amphitheater's infrastructure
[54:12] to support world class talent and our own world class orchestra. We
[54:16] firmly believe that this investment will be a boon to the city for years to come. Thank
[54:20] you. Thanks, john cameron, after cameron is
[54:24] samantha, good evening mayor. Esteemed members of city council and
[54:29] economic development and city manager and staff. Um, I'm speaking here today
[54:33] on behalf of danny salas harbor breeze cruises. He sends his apologies for not being able to
[54:37] be here tonight. He's previously working to get
[54:41] scudo our milestone project launch scheduled for launch next week, which
[54:45] will be the city's first parallel hybrid zero mission capable water taxi vessel
[54:50] right here in our great city. So, uh, he greatly supports
[54:54] this project and thankful, uh, for all the work that the city's doing to bring this
[54:58] project to light. Uh, we have a saying that the rising tide flow to all boats,
[55:03] and we see this being that exact project, more visitors coming to the waterfront. That
[55:07] means more visitors being able to come visit restaurants, use our parking facilities,
[55:11] come to the, come to our vessels, see our great city via water, which would
[55:16] not be possible without this project. Uh, in my previous life, I ran
[55:20] a business that had involvement in waterfront around the world, and I can attest to
[55:24] and see whether it's projects in melbourne, australia or more closely
[55:28] here to home in chicago at navy pier or in new york at
[55:33] roosevelt island governor's island, or the rooftop, uh, event
[55:37] venue that was created in the south street seaport. People want to come to the water,
[55:41] which is not only good for us, but it's good for the city and it's good for the region that's
[55:45] supporting that area in the economic development. So, again, I can attest firsthand,
[55:49] we plan to be there, uh, council member duggan, and receive the benefit that's coming
[55:53] from these visitors that are coming. And I've seen it from these projects where
[55:57] we've provided transportation to these venues, relieving stress on our
[56:01] other public transit systems to help people connect through that multimodal
[56:06] version of travel and connecting. So I can attest to it, I've seen it,
[56:10] and we're doing everything we can in our powers to help electrify
[56:14] aspects of rainbow harbor to help deliver our vessels to be there to support this
[56:18] project when it comes in. So on behalf of danny salas harbor reefs,
[56:23] we're excited for this project. Uh, and we're standing here ready to support any which
[56:27] way we can. Thank you. Alright, thank you samantha.
[56:31] and then, uh, steve. Good evening mayor
[56:36] and city council. Um, harbor breeze cruises is just one of our,
[56:40] you know, 400 plus small business members that's really excited about
[56:44] the amphitheater project, whether it's restaurants or bars, they're really excited
[56:48] about the prospect of more visitors coming in, more residents coming to this
[56:52] area so that they, you know, can, can capitalize on that traffic,
[56:56] I think too is a really smart investment. Obviously, you know, the difference between
[57:00] a parking lot and having a music venue here when we already have so much
[57:04] momentum with the music festival scene, whether it's cali vibes or day trip, or
[57:09] the van's warp tour, it's really the right move to be making right now to capture that visitor
[57:13] traffic and momentum. And so I'm just here to respectfully, um,
[57:17] request your support and, um, let you know that our hospitality and tourism community's
[57:22] really excited about this. Thank you. Thank you. Next
[57:26] is steve goodling. Then dave sla and john edmond. Great, thank you mayor. Council
[57:30] members, city management and economic development, uh,
[57:36] on behalf of our 450 business members. Our membership
[57:40] is excited about this project and has been since the actual discussion
[57:45] of it. And you heard cameron, I'm sorry, cameron couldn't
[57:49] be more excited about this project. And he runs waterfront taxis,
[57:53] right, and, and excursions and whale watching. This
[57:57] is going to expand the tourism base for the city of long
[58:01] beach. Conventions is definitely a solid core of our city,
[58:06] however, we have maximized that potential. We
[58:10] just recently shared a revenue per available room.
[58:14] revpar report, our occupancy and average rates are running ahead
[58:18] of san diego. You're paying more to stay in the city of long
[58:23] beach than you are in san diego. And so with
[58:27] that, we have to expand. As you all have been looking into
[58:31] different forms of tourism and
[58:36] council member kerr, you asked about data. We will be glad to work
[58:40] with you on that. We really know that when we've had festivals
[58:44] in the city, our occupancies and our average rates are at our peak.
[58:48] we know our restaurants are full. And so this project
[58:52] is going to help with all of that. Lastly, today,
[58:56] I met with some clients that were in town looking for a convention.
[59:00] she came in september as a visitor on her own.
[59:05] her friends live in downey. She says, where do you wanna play? They said, long beach.
[59:10] she spent three days here, went back to work in sacramento
[59:14] and told her colleagues, we need to be in long beach for our
[59:19] international convention in may of 2028.
[59:23] that's what this project is gonna do. It's gonna bring more people into our
[59:27] city, showcase our city, expand the platform, and
[59:31] we appreciate city manager moca and staff,
[59:35] all the hard work that has gone into envisioning this
[59:39] process, but also to the council and the mayor and mayor
[59:43] for starting this discussion two years ago. But
[59:48] for all of you dreaming big, because your dream is almost there
[59:52] and it's gonna further put long beach on the map. So thank you to all of you for your
[59:56] support. Thank you, dave.
[1:00:01] thank you mix. Uh, thank you mr. Mayor. Happy new year, everyone. Um,
[1:00:05] I'm agnostic on this, uh, uh, project. Uh, I'm
[1:00:09] willing to give the idea of an amphitheater at the location of chance. Uh, but since
[1:00:13] you know, it's given its prominence as an economic development strategy over the
[1:00:17] past year, I'd like to state some concerns. Um, the project
[1:00:21] is not without risk. Um, eight years at 3 million is not guaranteed.
[1:00:26] and while it's interesting, uh, that, uh, the performance depend,
[1:00:30] uh, on expanding vip accommodations, the simple fact is this venue
[1:00:34] will live or it will fall based on how it resonates
[1:00:39] with the local and regional populations and with what, uh, as,
[1:00:43] uh, councilman sono mentioned, what the kinds of things we already do here.
[1:00:48] um, the city
[1:00:52] of long beach is being asked, uh, to invest quite a bit. And so I think it's
[1:00:56] more than fair to ask not only what public benefits there are, but uh, how people will be affected.
[1:01:01] um, I support, uh, continued work on an economic impact
[1:01:05] study as, uh, council members, uh, sorrow and, uh, duggan,
[1:01:10] uh, for the reasons that they mentioned. Um, I think, uh,
[1:01:14] the year six through 10 estimates in particular are, are overly optimistic.
[1:01:18] um, I think it's a good investment to add access to public transit in
[1:01:22] the design, and I think that should include, uh, thorough connectivity with long
[1:01:26] beach transit la metro. Um, personally, um,
[1:01:31] I think it need, this project needs to achieve a high degree of integration with the local
[1:01:35] long beach arts and music scenes. And it should be open to the possibility
[1:01:40] for public uses, uh, that are free, uh, of this venue.
[1:01:45] um, I also think as , as a
[1:01:49] general rule, this city needs a policy on the outlay of tidelands
[1:01:53] funds. There has to be a certain percentage, no matter what the project is, that is devoted
[1:01:57] to dealing with the problem of oil well abandonment. And finally,
[1:02:02] um, as a strategy, um,
[1:02:06] I still think this one pales ultimately to rest in control of the electricity
[1:02:10] system from edison and making our own way. Thank you.
[1:02:15] alright, thank you john. Honorable mayor, city council, city
[1:02:19] manager, economic development city clerk, uh, as a long beach
[1:02:23] stakeholder. I have a business here by raising my family here.
[1:02:28] I am so excited to see this come to fruition.
[1:02:33] I remember tourism trade technology coming from navy yard
[1:02:37] to, uh, having to change from that. I remember the time of austerity
[1:02:41] under bob foster and really managing a fiscal crisis that was dealing
[1:02:46] up and down the state. Here we have one of the largest continuous open
[1:02:50] space on the waterfront that is far too long, been inactive.
[1:02:55] and we have one of the most innovative ways to capture that spirit
[1:03:00] of energy and excitement where people will claim long beach
[1:03:04] as a wider aperture. I am tired of being iowa by
[1:03:08] the sea or in the shadow of la we are our own city with our own
[1:03:12] airport, with our own municipality. And this is something that will
[1:03:17] raise the city's profile internationally, nationally, but certainly
[1:03:21] internationally. It's a place that I love that more people need to know about.
[1:03:25] and so with that, I just want to thank all the hard work from the, uh, city
[1:03:29] staff and making this happen. And I can't wait to, to be a part of this, uh,
[1:03:34] wonderful opportunity. Alright.
[1:03:38] uh, I see. So sorry. Sorry, ma'am. You're not signed up on
[1:03:43] this one, ma'am. It's not your, you don't get a chance to, I don't care.
[1:03:48] call the cops. We're not calling the cops. What you have
[1:03:52] done to me is I
[1:03:58] thank you very much. That's right. Yeah. The microphone is not on. Wonderful.
[1:04:02] jeffrey williams called me a few weeks ago
[1:04:07] and said, oh, we're gonna help you. Ms. Hernandez,
[1:04:11] thank you for your time. The microphone's not on. It didn't happen. No, you're
[1:04:15] gonna listen to me. I'm, you're, you're welcome to sign up for public comment.
[1:04:19] world woman who's homeless, who's begging you for help,
[1:04:25] and what have you done? Nothing. Nothing. Thank you. You're, you're,
[1:04:30] oh, you're homeless industrial complex
[1:04:34] that makes millions of f*****g dollars on
[1:04:38] the homeless around the clock. What do you do? Nothing. F**k
[1:04:42] you. Thank you. Woo. Happy new year.
[1:04:47] all right. All right. Uh, okay.
[1:04:51] so you, thank, thank you so much. Um, f**k you.
[1:04:55] um, okay. So thanks everybody for your public comment. Thank you staff for
[1:05:00] that presentation. Uh, next steps, uh, after this vote, we
[1:05:04] break ground. And after we break ground, I, I want, I do want to address the
[1:05:08] council members raised some very good questions that are circulating out there in the community.
[1:05:12] lots of disinformation in the community. Um, so this was a great forum to
[1:05:16] actually get a lot of those questions answered. But one thing I do wanna mention, there is a vision
[1:05:20] for a permanent amphitheater. But in this area, we
[1:05:25] have to go through the appropriate planning process and the coastal process,
[1:05:29] which takes, it, takes quite a bit of time to go through, through process.
[1:05:33] so this strategy, rather than wait five, seven years on
[1:05:37] developing a coastal waterfront amphitheater, we can experience,
[1:05:41] we can experience benefits now, economic benefits now through
[1:05:46] going through this approach with a temporary structure that lasts 10
[1:05:50] years, around 10 years, while we go through the planning the
[1:05:54] land, use the updating of the queen mary master plan, and ultimately
[1:05:59] identify the means to create a permanent waterfront amphitheater built on
[1:06:03] the water that's architecturally significant, that is publicly held by the
[1:06:07] city, that will be iconic, uh, across our west coast and will
[1:06:11] rival the hollywood bowl. That's where we should want to strive in
[1:06:15] the future. This allows us to test it in a way with very limited risk now.
[1:06:19] so thank you so much. Uh, we'll go to roll call, vote please. District two.
[1:06:28] district two, aye. Aye. Receive. Thank you. District three
[1:06:32] aye. District four, aye. District five, aye. District six,
[1:06:37] aye. District seven, aye. District eight, aye. District nine,
[1:06:43] aye. Motion is carried. All right, we'll go to item 32. Please
[1:06:49] report from city manager recommendation to execute a contract and any necessary
[1:06:53] documents with kelvin anderson and world famous vip records
[1:06:57] for the refurbishment, public display and licensing of the vip records
[1:07:01] sign, including the city's right to manage refurbishment publicly, display
[1:07:05] the sign and enter into related subleasing agreements with third parties mutually
[1:07:10] approved by the city manager and vip records for a total contract amount
[1:07:14] payable to vip records, not to exceed 170,000.
[1:07:19] and refer the request to name the site at the southwest corner of pacific coast
[1:07:23] highway. And martin luther king, jr. Avenue, the vip records park
[1:07:28] to the government operations and efficiency committee for study and subsequent recommendation
[1:07:32] to the city council per the city's administrative regulation. Eight dash seven
[1:07:37] citywide. Alright, thank you. Uh, so
[1:07:41] consistent with, uh, the last motion item. This, uh, let's get a motion in second council
[1:07:45] member sorrow. Motion. Who's the second? Second? Council member kerr. Okay. I heard
[1:07:49] kerr first. Uh, so this is, this next, uh, proposal
[1:07:54] is very special for a, a lot of members of our community because it's really about
[1:07:58] leveraging economic development to support and recognize the history and the cultural preservation
[1:08:03] of long beach. Um, this item, uh, is about
[1:08:07] the refurbishment and the restoration of the iconic vip record sign.
[1:08:12] uh, before folks have heard about long beach, one
[1:08:16] of the first things they've heard about is some of the culture's been shaped right here in central long beach.
[1:08:21] uh, with, uh, the legacy of vip records and, and all
[1:08:25] of the global culture that's come out of that. Uh, tonight we have an opportunity to protect and
[1:08:29] showcase an important cultural asset, uh, to partner with
[1:08:34] a local business. 'cause vip records still exists today, is still operating today,
[1:08:38] uh, to support them, uh, while also enriching our own cultural
[1:08:42] tapestry and creating a landmark as the world prepares to come
[1:08:46] to long beach, it uplifts our central long beach community. But ulti ultimately
[1:08:51] uplifts our role as a, a global, uh, sort of I icon
[1:08:55] for culture. And so, uh, we're gonna go to the staff presentation. I want
[1:08:59] to congratulate and thank, I wanna thank and congratulate, uh, uh, calvin
[1:09:03] and tanisha. Calvin and tanisha anderson from vip records here for them, calvin
[1:09:07] and tanisha for lifting up our city for many years
[1:09:12] and for working. This is a really innovative approach that we've, we've really
[1:09:16] found. And I also wanna recognize, uh, theresa chandler and the entire team
[1:09:21] in the city manager's office, who's worked for quite some time in april, and everyone who quite
[1:09:25] for, worked for quite some time to really get it to this point where we're proud
[1:09:29] to hold this agreement up. Uh, and, and finally restore
[1:09:33] this sign, uh, back to, uh, the mlk, uh, the
[1:09:37] mlk, uh, community and the, um, uh, the pch community.
[1:09:41] so that said, let's go to the staff presentation. Well said, mr. Mayor. So, yeah, we
[1:09:45] are excited to be here and to present. This has been a long negotiation and a long path to
[1:09:50] find the right approach. And we think we really, uh, have a, a good approach here
[1:09:54] that, uh, is very beneficial, uh, uh, both to the city and also to the person who
[1:09:58] owns the sign, uh, which is kelvin anderson. Uh, that is, uh, a lot of people think that's a city
[1:10:02] sign. It's not, it's actually private property. And so we've got a unique agreement here
[1:10:06] to be able to use that and restore that cultural asset to the community in the sixth
[1:10:10] district, uh, where there's a lot of pride and, uh, be also to have that be part
[1:10:14] of our culture, part of our tourism. Uh, and, uh, we're gonna go through what that agreement is
[1:10:18] so we all understand, uh, the, a lot of these dollars are, are things that, uh, we use
[1:10:23] for promotions of, of the city. And so, uh, that is really its intended purpose
[1:10:27] and, uh, we're excited to get into it. So I will turn it to theresa, uh, chandler, one of
[1:10:31] our deputy city managers who's been leading this, along with grace yon, our other deputy city manager who's
[1:10:35] been really involved. Before you do that, tom,
[1:10:40] so when, tell us about the first time you came to long beach
[1:10:44] . So, uh, uh, although I live here now with my
[1:10:48] family, I, I feel like a, a, a local, you know, long beach person.
[1:10:53] uh, actually I'm from a, uh, from arizona and, uh, I drove out here when I was 18
[1:10:57] years old. I didn't know anything about a queen mary, I didn't know anything about a downtown or
[1:11:01] belmont shore. What I was looking for was to go visit the vip record sign when I was 18 years old.
[1:11:05] so, uh, this is important to me as well. Um, so I remember driving there,
[1:11:10] finding the sign, taking the picture. Uh, you know, it, you know, it really resonates
[1:11:14] with culture and there's still people who ask us about the vip sign and whether it's still in long beach.
[1:11:19] that's what we start the presentation with, . Alright, let's continue. . Alright.
[1:11:23] good evening, mayor and members of the city council. We are very excited to be here
[1:11:27] as we have expressed, um, to talk about this agreement that we have been working
[1:11:32] on with kelvin and family and, uh, vip. And so the
[1:11:36] agreement, we're gonna talk about the refurbishment, uh, public display and licensing
[1:11:40] of the vip record sign, and entering into a sublicensing agreement for five years
[1:11:45] with the option to extend for a total of 10 years. And then also recommendation
[1:11:49] it, it also includes a request to start the process for naming the proposed site
[1:11:53] of the vip sign to be named vip records park.
[1:11:57] so we're gonna move along here. So, vip records has
[1:12:01] been a meaningful part of long beach's culture, cultural, and creative identity since
[1:12:05] opening in 1978, more than a record store, it became a
[1:12:09] place where young people could explore music, creativity, and self-expression, and
[1:12:13] where local talent found mentorship and opportunity. Under the leadership of
[1:12:18] kelvin anderson and his family, vip records grew into a trusted community
[1:12:22] space, one rooted in access and encouragement and belief in young people
[1:12:27] at a time when many neighborhoods were facing real challenges. Vip offered
[1:12:31] a positive and creative outlet grounded in belonging and possibility. The impact
[1:12:35] of the work extended far beyond the walls of the store, helping shape a sound that would
[1:12:39] bring international recognition to long beach, while always remaining deeply connected to the
[1:12:44] community that made it special. When the vip sign was taken down
[1:12:48] in 2018 due to changes in the building's use, the city lost
[1:12:52] a visible symbol of that legacy. This item supports restoring that landmark,
[1:12:56] honoring the anderson family's contributions, and reaffirming the city's commitment
[1:13:00] to preserving cultural in, uh, institutions that reflect long beach's
[1:13:04] creativity, resilience, and pride. So, just as a reminder, um,
[1:13:08] in may, uh, of 2 20 17, the city authorized the city
[1:13:13] manager to execute an agreement with kelvin and family and vip records.
[1:13:17] um, and then in, uh, in 20th of march of 2018, the
[1:13:21] city council approved an ordinance and resolution designating the vip record sign as
[1:13:25] a long beach historical landmark. So, building on that history
[1:13:30] we're really pleased to share that the city has reached an agreement with vip, uh,
[1:13:34] records to bring the sign back in a way that honors its legacy and its meaning to long
[1:13:38] beach. The city will manage the refurbishment of the sign using our
[1:13:42] standard procurement process to select a contractor and ensure the work meets city
[1:13:47] standards. The city will contribute up to 30, uh, 2,200,
[1:13:52] excuse me, 235,000 toward the refurbishment and will also handle the
[1:13:56] transportation and installation of the sign. This funding was approved in
[1:14:00] the fiscal year 23 budget and is currently held with public works.
[1:14:05] the sign will be reinstalled at the southwest corner of pacific coast highway
[1:14:09] in martin luther king, jr. Avenue in fiscal year 25,
[1:14:14] 500,000 in measure a funds were allocated through the elevate 28 project
[1:14:18] list for vip records, sign placemaking, and those funds will support
[1:14:22] the site improvement and related development work. So together this allows us to
[1:14:27] preserve the sign, invest in the site, and bring an important piece of long beach's
[1:14:31] cultural history back into public view. So I'm gonna turn it over to grace yoon, who's gonna talk
[1:14:35] more about the agreement. Great, thanks theresa. Um, to
[1:14:39] continue the parameters and the highlights of the agreement, uh, the city receives
[1:14:44] a five year license to publicly display the vip sign
[1:14:48] with the option to extend that term for an additional five years.
[1:14:52] during this period, the city can use the sign in its likeness, so
[1:14:56] including images, logos, replicas in marketing, branding,
[1:15:00] and public events. The agreement allows the city to sub-license the
[1:15:05] sign and its imagery as well for things like events, media
[1:15:09] and merchandise. And any revenue that the city receives from those sub
[1:15:13] licenses is shared 50 50. With vip records,
[1:15:17] the agreement gives the city the first opportunity to purchase the sign. If vip records
[1:15:22] decides to sell it during the term of the agreement, and the city will
[1:15:26] handle routine maintenance of the sign and the site, including
[1:15:30] normal wear and tear and minor issues like small graffiti
[1:15:35] to prepare for larger unexpected repairs, the city will also set aside
[1:15:39] 5,000 each year in a dedicated reserve fund.
[1:15:43] the city isn't responsible for major vandalism or damage
[1:15:48] outside normal wear and tear that exceeds the reserve. But we will
[1:15:52] indemnify vip records for third party claims that arise
[1:15:57] directly from city's maintenance or display of the sign. Unless those claims
[1:16:02] stem from vip records, own negligence or misconduct,
[1:16:07] vip records will continue to own the physical sign as well as all
[1:16:11] associated intellectual property, including copyrights and trademarks.
[1:16:16] the agreement includes an annual licensing fee paid to vip
[1:16:20] records, and this is made up of 35,000 in the first year,
[1:16:24] and then 15,000 for each year after that. There's also a
[1:16:28] provision that if sub licensed revenue is unusually high
[1:16:32] in the first two years, so specifically if it exceeds 135,000,
[1:16:38] the city and vip records will revisit the licensing fee
[1:16:42] and negotiate a reasonable adjustment in good faith. If
[1:16:46] vip records chooses not to extend the agreement at the end of the initial
[1:16:50] term, they are responsible for removing the sign and restoring the
[1:16:54] site at their own cost. Once the agreement expires or
[1:16:58] is terminated, the city's licensing payments and other obligations end as well.
[1:17:03] the agreement includes a provision for the city to install a simple structure at the
[1:17:07] site with the design to be determined by the city. In consultation
[1:17:11] with vip records and available funds and resources, vip
[1:17:16] records will have the exclusive right to sell merchandise from that structure during the term
[1:17:20] of the agreement. So these are the main highlights of the agreement and
[1:17:24] additional minor items are described in the city council letter.
[1:17:30] additionally, vip records have asked that the site at pch and
[1:17:34] mlk junior avenue be named vip records, park
[1:17:39] city staff support this request and are recommending that it move forward through
[1:17:44] the city's established naming process. So under administrative regulation
[1:17:48] eight dash seven, naming requests for non-par properties,
[1:17:53] which is this are referred to the government operations and efficiency committee for
[1:17:57] review, the committee then has 30 days to return its recommendations
[1:18:02] to the city council for a final decision.
[1:18:06] so once the agreement is approved and executed tonight, public
[1:18:10] works will begin the process of selecting a contractor to refurbish and install
[1:18:14] the vip sign. As part of that work, public works will be conducting
[1:18:19] some community engagement to discuss the site its use and
[1:18:23] its development, along with continued conversations with vip records.
[1:18:28] and all of this input will help shape the direction of the rfp.
[1:18:32] after the rfp is developed, released, and a contractor is selected,
[1:18:37] the refurbishment work can begin and we could move forward towards bringing
[1:18:41] the sign back out into the community.
[1:18:45] so as we move forward, again, I just wanna echo what theresa said. We are
[1:18:50] deeply grateful to calvin anderson and the entire vip
[1:18:54] records family for their decades of creativity, mentorship, and
[1:18:58] a cultural leadership in long beach. We're excited to
[1:19:02] honor that legacy, to bring the sign back into public view and to celebrate
[1:19:07] a piece of long beach history that continues to inspire new voices today.
[1:19:11] and so that concludes staff report. We're available for questions along with, um,
[1:19:16] um, josh hickman with public works and adam jacobs with
[1:19:20] the city attorney's office, who has really been instrumental in helping us,
[1:19:24] uh, work through this, uh, contract. And with that, we turn it
[1:19:28] over for any questions. Alright, thank you. We're actually gonna go to public comment first.
[1:19:33] uh, but thank you for that, uh, that informative presentation.
[1:19:37] um, I'm glad to see the city doing right by the anderson family and,
[1:19:41] um, and restoring, uh, this sign, uh, to his glory. We're now gonna
[1:19:46] go to public comment. That's right. Um,
[1:19:50] I have 11 members of the public signed up to speak. Gregory johnson,
[1:19:54] kelvin anderson. Matter of fact, I'm gonna change this order. We're gonna go kelvin and tanisha first,
[1:19:59] then gregory johnson. Dave shukla, alexander serup,
[1:20:03] uh, edwin michael sheriff, uh, tyler, laux,
[1:20:08] uh, sharon digs jackson, stephanie ramos, cornell, vivian
[1:20:12] ulu, and monica nelson. Alright, mr. Kelvin, welcome.
[1:20:17] good evening everyone. Thank you mayor and city council members.
[1:20:22] I am so honored to be here tonight. Uh,
[1:20:26] long time coming. Um, first
[1:20:30] of all, I want to thank the team, grace and
[1:20:35] everybody for staying in touch, keeping us informed and, uh, helping
[1:20:39] move the process along. Uh, definitely want to thank, uh,
[1:20:44] my daughter tanisha, who is my chief of staff that makes everything
[1:20:48] go. My, uh, daughter latasha, who's kind of the president
[1:20:52] of vip, she don't say much, but, uh, when it's important, she will
[1:20:56] speak up. But this is, uh,
[1:21:00] january the 15th of this month would be year number 47
[1:21:05] that I've been on that block and a part of the community. So
[1:21:09] that, that, that's a long time. And, uh,
[1:21:13] uh, this community, uh, long beach is very special to me.
[1:21:17] and, you know, with all of the things that have been spoken of early tonight
[1:21:21] about moving forward with the city, with the amphitheater and
[1:21:26] all of that, long beach is a big art and music
[1:21:31] location and you know, I am just so excited to be
[1:21:36] a part of it. The vip record sign is definitely something in long
[1:21:40] beach, just like basically known, known all around the world
[1:21:44] and stuff in travel. Uh, you know, people would say that,
[1:21:48] uh, vip is definitely
[1:21:52] a part of their, uh, bucket list. And this past summer,
[1:21:57] uh, I mean this past christmas holidays, a lot of the, uh,
[1:22:02] tourists that came through was saying that, hey, it's always
[1:22:06] the first thing a tourist ask is where the vip sign and stuff. And
[1:22:10] to have the opportunity to be able to bring it back in public view is
[1:22:14] just overwhelming to me. Uh, like I say, 47
[1:22:19] years on the block, building a brand such as this
[1:22:23] is, uh, special to me and my family and stuff. So definitely
[1:22:27] look forward to moving forward. Alright, thank you. Congratulations.
[1:22:33] one other very important, I'm sorry everyone but ms.
[1:22:37] run the love, rest in peace and stuff. I have to recognize her because
[1:22:41] she played a very important part of, uh, our
[1:22:45] communication with the city of long beach and her hard work bringing
[1:22:50] this project forward. Thank you. Thank you. Alright,
[1:22:54] tanisha, you're up? I'm up.
[1:22:59] all right. I'm put my spectacles on. Good evening, mr. Mayor and the members of the council. Um,
[1:23:03] those of you that do not know, know me, I'm tanisha anderson. Um, I stand before
[1:23:08] you representing the anderson family and the vip family foundation to make
[1:23:12] sure that you know that vip records sign is more than a record store logo.
[1:23:16] it is cultural staple of long beach, representing a creative home for artists and
[1:23:20] a safe space that has helped shape generations through music, mentorship,
[1:23:25] and opportunity. Our story is deeply woven into the
[1:23:29] cultural fabric of this city. This proposed partnership strongly aligns with the
[1:23:33] grow long beach initiative, which recognizes art, culture,
[1:23:37] and entertainment as essential drivers of economic growth, placemaking and
[1:23:42] community identity, preserving and publicly displaying the iconic
[1:23:46] sign, um, and supporting the naming of the
[1:23:50] vip records park is a powerful way to honor the legacy that could creating
[1:23:54] and inspiring public space for residents and visitors alike.
[1:23:59] naming the vip records park is not simply symbolic. It acknowledges the
[1:24:03] lasting contributions of this local institution that helped
[1:24:07] put long beach on a global cultural map while reinforcing the
[1:24:11] city's commitment to celebrating authentic community history. Vip records remain
[1:24:15] deeply committed to the growth of music and arts, youth engagement and
[1:24:20] cultural preservation. We see the partner this partnership as an
[1:24:24] opportunity to continue serving as a long-term community stakeholder,
[1:24:28] working alongside the city inspire creativity, education, and
[1:24:33] economic opportunity. We are grateful and thankful for the mayor,
[1:24:38] the city council, grayson theresa in the city manager's office
[1:24:42] for continued commitment and supporting. And we respectfully ask for
[1:24:46] your approval of this agreement and the support of the naming of the vip records park.
[1:24:51] this partnership represents a meaningful investment in long beach, past, present, and future.
[1:24:56] I also wanna take a quick moment to say thank you to my father for continuing to get
[1:25:00] up every single day and continuing to serve the people of the
[1:25:04] long beach community and the world abroad on the corner of pch and martin luther
[1:25:08] king. That's right.
[1:25:13] alright, thank you. Alright, next is gregory, then dave.
[1:25:19] good evening. Greg johnson, arts council for long beach arts,
[1:25:23] culture and media entrepreneur based here in long beach, life partner
[1:25:27] of rhonda love. Um, I'm
[1:25:32] almost in tears. Rhonda love was my
[1:25:36] partner and I watched her advocate for the sign.
[1:25:41] I watched the stress of it going through rekindling relationships,
[1:25:46] building a bridge between city government and the community, risking
[1:25:50] her personal physical health in doing so. And
[1:25:55] I'm just so ecstatic to listen and hear that this is finally
[1:25:59] coming to a close. I cannot tell you
[1:26:03] all the whole city that that woman put her life
[1:26:08] on the line to support the community. The anderson family,
[1:26:12] the city of long beach, and she deserves all the credit for keeping
[1:26:16] this project alive and supporting our community.
[1:26:20] congratulations to the anderson family. I've known them since way before I came to
[1:26:24] long beach. Love you all. I love our community and I love this city.
[1:26:29] god bless the memory of rhonda love. I'm gone.
[1:26:33] alright, dave
[1:26:37] shukla and then alexander. Thank you mr. Mayor. City council members, thank you
[1:26:41] for your support on this item. Thank you for getting it right and for the time and effort that
[1:26:45] was put into it. Uh, driving by the vip sign was part of my childhood, uh,
[1:26:50] part of my growing up. I drove by it every day on the way to high school. Um,
[1:26:54] I think this entire episode has important, uh, lessons,
[1:26:58] uh, not only about community resilience and identity, but also, uh,
[1:27:02] about, uh, some of the failures of short term economic thinking in this city and
[1:27:06] economic decisions, especially those that were more, uh, directed towards
[1:27:10] corporatist and kind of out of town or kind of influences. Thank you. Thanks
[1:27:15] dave. Alright, alexander and then edwin.
[1:27:19] yeah, this time means a lot, especially growing up in long beach. I'm one race reserve.
[1:27:25] had to do a lot of culture, a lot of good things. I'm glad that
[1:27:29] the sign is up. That's all I got to say.
[1:27:34] alright. Enough said. Alright, edwin and then tyler.
[1:27:41] hi everybody. Happy new year. Um,
[1:27:45] I understand the, uh, shining new initiatives mentioned throughout the, this
[1:27:49] particular sit down and they're in alignment with what vip does
[1:27:54] and has done. And that's draw. And while a lot of the conversations
[1:27:58] surrounding this situation are of economic impact, I'm here to continue to speak and highlight
[1:28:03] the social. My name is edwin michael sheriff. I've lived in california
[1:28:07] going on three years. I moved here because I got signed. And
[1:28:11] while navigating the ups and downs of this industry, vip
[1:28:16] has been there for me personally. I was born in silver spring,
[1:28:20] maryland, right outside of, uh, washington dc when I was growing up, there was
[1:28:24] a movie theater out there in 99 at a location called lake forest mall. They'd
[1:28:28] gotten rid of it, but I remember what it represented. Family,
[1:28:32] community, and a good time, which is all very important since
[1:28:37] antiquity. And up until now, people have looked for signs to keep going.
[1:28:41] signs of goodwill, love, peace, charity. The vip
[1:28:45] sign is one of those signs. Thank you for honoring the humble request
[1:28:49] that after 46 years of providing those things, we continue
[1:28:54] to bless the community with the sign that they're looking for. Thank you for preserving
[1:28:58] the history and continuing to provide what people still come from all over
[1:29:02] the world to see. Happy new year. Great comments.
[1:29:06] thanks so much. Alright, tyler, then sharon.
[1:29:16] um, good evening mayor and members of the city council. My
[1:29:20] name is tyler and I'm here today to represent young artists to speak in
[1:29:24] support of vip records. The vip sign is more than a sign, it's a
[1:29:28] symbol. It represents creativity, history, and the idea that culture matters
[1:29:32] in the city of long beach. Seeing that sign reminds young people like me that
[1:29:37] art, that music, art and self-expression have a place here
[1:29:41] and that our stories are worth preserving. Vip records has consistently been
[1:29:45] a place where youth has, where, where youth are encouraged, supported, and
[1:29:50] inspired. Not just to dream, but to create. Having access to
[1:29:54] a place that celebrates music, culture and history helps young people believe
[1:29:58] in their own potential. Vip records represents what is possible
[1:30:02] when a, when a community invests in creativity instead of instead
[1:30:07] of overlooking it. It shows us that art can be a pathway, not just a hobby.
[1:30:12] this is important because they preserve culture while also being, while also
[1:30:16] creating opportunity. They connect generations, honor, history,
[1:30:20] and give young people a foundation to build from. When the city support spaces like this, it sends
[1:30:24] a powerful message. I am excited to see how the city will support
[1:30:28] continuing to uplift cultural institutions that have consistently supported young
[1:30:32] artists like me. Thank you for listening and for your commitment to the future of
[1:30:36] long beach. Thank you
[1:30:40] sharon. And then stephanie. Good evening. Um, there's
[1:30:45] some booklets that are being handed out to you that I wanted to be able to share. You guys
[1:30:49] are some of the first ones to see it. Um, dr. Soro, I don't know if you remember,
[1:30:53] about four years ago we said at mamamia and we talked about the
[1:30:57] importa, the importance to the african american community of the corner
[1:31:01] of martin luther king and pch. So I thank you for this support. I thank you
[1:31:05] for helping us to have earmarked that corner to now be realized as
[1:31:09] it is. Um, I stand before you today on behalf of the historically black cultural
[1:31:13] district in the central district, central area of long beach. Just to talk
[1:31:18] about the musical legacy. The booklet there in front of you, it talks about
[1:31:22] all of the musical talent that has was raised, born in
[1:31:26] and around in the central area. It goes from marilyn horn,
[1:31:30] it goes from the harlem globe trotters, uh, song.
[1:31:34] it goes and takes us through. I mean, it's
[1:31:39] just amazing when you think about it. But this booklet working with the port of long beach
[1:31:43] who helped out to sponsor and help with the research. It's sort of the first publication
[1:31:47] that we are presenting to talk about the amazing history of the african
[1:31:51] american community, but also the music musical legacy here in
[1:31:55] long beach. From gospel roots, from rock
[1:32:00] and roll to war. All of these individuals grew
[1:32:04] up in and around, or either graduated from poly high school. So we present this
[1:32:08] to you tonight. It's just the first iteration. It gives us a foundation to begin
[1:32:12] to work off of when we talk about the amphitheater, to truly understand
[1:32:16] our legacy and build forward to kelvin and to
[1:32:20] tanisha. Thank you for your commitment, your unwavering
[1:32:25] faith and willingness to stand through it all. We thank
[1:32:29] you so very, very much for that. And the only other request that I'd have of the city
[1:32:33] is if we could immediately fence off that corner, there is some
[1:32:37] good infrastructure that exists there. That corner is owned by the city. There's
[1:32:41] still plumbing there, there's still some electrical and things like that. So if we can immediately
[1:32:46] fence it off, it will help us as we work to rebuild it. Thank you sharon.
[1:32:50] real quick. Mm-hmm . When did this, when did this come out? Actually, it just came out of
[1:32:54] about a month and a half ago. Okay. A month and a half ago. So we're just starting to distribute it again.
[1:32:58] it was part of a port of long beach sponsorship. Right. So we have copies of this and, and was
[1:33:02] this elite skills? Elite skills development. Congratulations. And the historically black cultural
[1:33:07] district. Okay. And the historically back. This is great. We need, we need to make sure this gets out. And I did
[1:33:11] not know snoop's middle name was za . We try to give you a
[1:33:15] little facts in terms of that. I see that the mery first motown grammy award winner. Y'all need to read this
[1:33:19] book, all of that. So we will start to tribute this more. Thank you so much.
[1:33:23] alright. Just not, just not our copy. Thank you. Um,
[1:33:28] uh, stephanie and then vivian. Good evening mayor and members of
[1:33:32] the city council. My name is stephanie ramos and I am a, I'm
[1:33:36] a member of a local nonprofit called the lbc hero squad. The hero squad
[1:33:40] is a group that organizes community events that are inclusive and welcoming
[1:33:44] for the narrow diverse community of long beach. The hero squad has collaborated
[1:33:48] with vip records on numerous community events, and that is how I've come to know mr. Anderson
[1:33:53] and his incredible family. While vip records is a music
[1:33:57] store to most, to families like mine, it means much more. Vip
[1:34:02] records is a community organ organization that provides not only a rich culture with
[1:34:06] a world famous musical history, but also of safe space for our neurodiverse
[1:34:10] community to continue to have access to music and all of its magic.
[1:34:15] the renovation of the sign will bring more attention to this incredible space and that attention
[1:34:19] will allow mr. Anderson and his family to continue the work they do for this community.
[1:34:23] the world knows and loves vip records. There are many examples of people from
[1:34:27] all over the world making it a destination they specifically seek out. You can see many posts
[1:34:31] and videos on social media. So let's show the world that long beach values its culture
[1:34:35] and community. Let's show the world that we love and cherish. Vip records. I
[1:34:39] believe that the work proposed for refurbishing this sign and the work for vip records
[1:34:44] park will do just that. Thank you.
[1:34:48] alright, thank you vivian. And then monica.
[1:34:52] good evening mayor and members of the city council. I am here in strong support
[1:34:56] of agenda item 32. And I want to be very clear that it is
[1:35:00] a big yes yes to the park. Yes to the sign, and yes to honoring
[1:35:04] the cultural legacy of long beach. The vip record sign is not
[1:35:09] just a sign, it's a landmark of long beach history. It represents the birth and
[1:35:13] rise of west coast hip hop. The power of independent black
[1:35:17] owned businesses and the global cultural influence that started right
[1:35:21] here in our streets long before long beach was branding itself
[1:35:25] as a creative city. Vip records was the culture, the
[1:35:29] driver of that amplifying voices, telling stories, and
[1:35:33] putting long beach on the map worldwide. Preserving and publicly displaying
[1:35:38] the sign is an act of cultural stewardship. It says that long beach
[1:35:42] values its history, not just the polished parts, but the
[1:35:46] authentic community rooted stories that shaped generations. I also
[1:35:50] want to say this plainly, the $170,000 is not enough
[1:35:55] for an icon of this magnitude for a symbol that carries international
[1:35:59] recognition and deep local meaning this investment should
[1:36:03] be viewed as a floor, not a ceiling. If we are serious about
[1:36:07] honoring cultural assets, supporting creative economies and
[1:36:11] leveraging public private partnerships, then we must be willing to invest
[1:36:16] accordingly. Naming the park, preserving the sign, and committing
[1:36:20] to its long-term visibility sends a powerful message that long beach
[1:36:24] doesn't just benefit from culture. We protect it. Thank
[1:36:29] you. Thank you.
[1:36:33] alright. Uh, next speaker please.
[1:36:38] hi, monica nelson and I met kelvin and last year at the art
[1:36:42] expo. And ever since I met him I've been a supporter. But I have a quote from a friend of
[1:36:46] mine who was there from the beginning. Um, the world famous vip record
[1:36:50] sign is not just a sign, it's a staple of long beach excellence in music
[1:36:54] and a symbol of west coast hip hop in its greatest era. The vip record
[1:36:58] shop with a place you could go physically go and win at the beginnings of a great hip hop era, especially
[1:37:03] in the nineties. And the sign is a reflection of community and strength. We all miss driving
[1:37:07] down pch and seeing it. And that's a quote from my friend
[1:37:11] garrett henderson, aka hollywood who was there with snoop,
[1:37:15] warren g badass, and all the local legends.
[1:37:20] so I'm, I'm just wanna show my support and
[1:37:24] I draft me, mr. Mayor got a cigar for you after . I can't accept the cigar,
[1:37:28] but thank you. I appreciate the sentiment. Thank you so much.
[1:37:32] next speaker, please. Okay. Um, my name is sylvia burrow
[1:37:37] and I just realized, um, I came here with kelvin and
[1:37:41] I realized after listening to everyone, I wish I would've put my name on the list
[1:37:45] because I can personally attempt. So you just told yourself I didn't even know your name was on the list. Keep going.
[1:37:50] . I'm sorry. . I personally, I'm a photographer and
[1:37:54] I personally sat in the store, worked from the store with kelvin for approximately
[1:37:58] six years. And I was the, um, promoter
[1:38:03] of his facebook page, his personal page. And I can
[1:38:07] tell you that there was not more than one or two days that one by, that
[1:38:11] someone did not come from across the united states or
[1:38:15] out of another country. If you go to his facebook page, you'll see posts from me
[1:38:19] like china and japan in the house, uh, brothers from
[1:38:23] denmark, uh, frank from jersey. There was literally, um, a dj
[1:38:27] that brought his daughter in from florida. He was a famous dj. And I,
[1:38:32] I witnessed this almost every other day and I documented it.
[1:38:36] everyone wanted a picture with him in front of the sign that's
[1:38:40] inside the store, the replica. And it's just, when they
[1:38:44] say world famous vip, it's just that world. I've seen people
[1:38:48] come from everywhere to the store and I thank you for
[1:38:52] the, the interest in vipi thank you for
[1:38:56] the, the shoppers there and I'm proud and
[1:39:01] blessed to have spent as much time inside the store and witnessed this. And, and I
[1:39:05] am a record buyer still today. And
[1:39:09] I love the store and I thank you for what you're doing. Thank you. Thank you so much.
[1:39:14] alright, so before we go to a vote, uh, I want
[1:39:18] to let the council know and let, um, the andersons know that we're gonna take a photo,
[1:39:22] uh, right after the council vote, uh, with kelvin and tanisha. But we want, but
[1:39:26] I, I want to note something why this is significant. So
[1:39:31] I remember when the, uh, the seven 11 came in
[1:39:35] and all the drama. This was eight, nine years ago when all the
[1:39:39] drama and all the questions, the right, the, the questions, uh, were generated from the
[1:39:43] community of what will happen to this sign. And there was a
[1:39:47] lot of interest, uh, on all sides. But I'm proud that
[1:39:52] tonight we're getting some closure on that. And the sign is returning
[1:39:56] to king and pch with this action tonight. It was not
[1:40:00] easy to get here. It took a lot of, uh, conversation and trust building.
[1:40:04] and I remember having the conversations with the anderson family saying, hey, you know,
[1:40:08] the city, you know, I've been promised this before. And it was a lot of
[1:40:12] like, hey, let's, let's take steps toward building this trust and getting this right.
[1:40:17] uh, because this is incredibly important for what it represents for all of us. And,
[1:40:22] uh, you know, this is, uh, you know, I wanna quote someone
[1:40:26] who said a floor, someone said a floor. I think it was viv vivian. It is a floor
[1:40:30] because built into this is the opportunity for economic development
[1:40:34] and revenue share. And when the sign is it's in storage, there's
[1:40:38] no opportunities to, for it to have life and for it to be used in film
[1:40:42] shoots and video shoots and generate licensing and all of those, uh, those
[1:40:47] revenue opportunities, uh, that's how we increase the floor. I'll also
[1:40:51] shape this as an invitation. Uh, this is an opportunity for the businesses who
[1:40:55] are here and long beach city college is right across the street with a big old budget.
[1:40:59] so if you want to see this floor grow, this is an opportunity to sponsor
[1:41:03] and license and be a part because we're all a part of that, that shared community. Long
[1:41:07] beach city college is one of the biggest anchors to the historically black
[1:41:11] cultural district. So we look forward to working together to really uplift,
[1:41:16] uh, uh, vip but really that historic district. Uh, there,
[1:41:20] uh, we're gonna go to the council comments and then we'll have our council vote, and then we're gonna, uh,
[1:41:24] take the photo council member sorrow. Yes, thank you, mayor.
[1:41:28] um, yeah, this is such a pivotal moment
[1:41:32] and it's actually a moment of healing because of what the mayors
[1:41:37] just shared, that it's been through a lot beyond then just when the
[1:41:41] sign had to be restored, the founding of it so much, uh, literal
[1:41:45] blood, sweat and tears that's been poured into the creation
[1:41:49] and the operation, but also the, the carrying
[1:41:53] of, uh, the legacy. And while it's worldly
[1:41:58] recognized, it's always been a source of local pride. And that
[1:42:02] is something that people in central long beach hold fiercely dear to their
[1:42:06] heart and will fight you on anything that is,
[1:42:10] um, you know, disputing otherwise about what comes from central long beach.
[1:42:15] and that's what, uh, I think brings the passion around,
[1:42:19] uh, the community that supports and uplift the anderson family. And
[1:42:23] thank you calvin, uh, for your perseverance and tanisha
[1:42:27] and the whole family for making sure that this legacy continues on even when
[1:42:31] the physical placement of the, the, the store
[1:42:36] has shifted in the record and, you know, and it's evolving. And that's what this process
[1:42:40] has been. I wanna give thanks to different staff who have worked through
[1:42:44] this from linda tatum, and then it went on to, I think april, and
[1:42:48] then went to theresa and then it went to grace. So, um, a lot of
[1:42:53] staff member have been part of this from across the different teams who are
[1:42:57] also even not here, um, previous, um,
[1:43:02] you know, elected as well who all wanna see the succeed despite
[1:43:06] the journey it's taken. And we're all very excited and really proud
[1:43:11] and honored to be able to move to the next phase of being able to restore
[1:43:15] the sign back to if, if not, uh, a little shinier than it was because
[1:43:19] it's been outdoors for so many years. But also to have it
[1:43:23] be, um, be in a, I know that it has to go through a process
[1:43:28] to be able to designate that open space across the street of the
[1:43:32] original plate. Vip record location as a vip records,
[1:43:36] uh, park. I'm very supportive of that. I know it needs to go to the goe,
[1:43:41] but I think that this is, again, it's gonna be more than a park because it needs
[1:43:45] to be a commemorative park given the legacy, uh, of this
[1:43:49] sign. But also so many talent that's been birthed as
[1:43:53] well as celebrated and uplifted and is shining internationally to showcase us
[1:43:58] as a city, to make us proud and to also continue to,
[1:44:02] um, inspire the next generation of talent, but also to really
[1:44:06] inspire those who may not have much personally in
[1:44:11] possession but inspire. But but for those who can be enriched,
[1:44:15] um, in, in, um, personally nurturing
[1:44:19] their top their pride and feeling that they can make a contribution in that world. And that's,
[1:44:23] for me, what I see the hope of this sign is to really inspiring those who
[1:44:28] may not have hope, who may feel like they don't have a contribution. And
[1:44:32] so this has been a shiny diamond in the district that
[1:44:36] now can finally be set in a ring, uh, and present
[1:44:40] it to the world. I like to think about it that way so that we can all,
[1:44:44] um, take a picture with it. But more than anything to remember, um,
[1:44:49] its contribution to the music movement, but the cultural movement of america.
[1:44:53] so, uh, I'm very excited to be able to work, uh, with calvin,
[1:44:58] um, and the family and the community in the way that we can also ensure that
[1:45:02] there is economic development in that corridor. Not just having that sign
[1:45:06] there, but making sure that whole area in that corridor is improved
[1:45:10] and uplifted so that we can develop the area
[1:45:15] as a tourist destination and where rightfully should be so that people can
[1:45:19] come and visit and shop and, and join music and entertainment there.
[1:45:23] uh, so thank you so much everyone for your con
[1:45:27] contribu contribution as far as continuing to root and also to,
[1:45:32] um, lend advocacy that we wanna make sure this always
[1:45:37] continue to move forward and, um, be celebrated. So thanks.
[1:45:41] alright. Thank you. Uh, council member kerr. Yes, I wanna thank all the
[1:45:45] public speakers who shared their stories tonight and their experiences. And when
[1:45:49] you look at the depth and breadth of age and experience of folks who spoke tonight,
[1:45:53] it very much reflects the city that I was born in, raised in, and that I love so
[1:45:58] much. Uh, I wanna thank the team for speaking so eloquently to
[1:46:02] the history when you talked about this item. That it's not just about business, that
[1:46:06] it's about who we are, um, and who we are as community, um, and
[1:46:10] what the sign represents and means to so many. And while it was a destination
[1:46:14] for a young tom moca as he came to california, and so many
[1:46:18] who come here from around the world, uh, for me and for my family, we have been
[1:46:22] fortunate that has been part of the backdrop of the growing up here in long beach. Uh,
[1:46:27] it was on the way to my dad's office downtown. It was on my way to high school every
[1:46:31] day downtown at st. Anthony. And it was there every day that I drove eight years to
[1:46:35] and from poly high school to take my children to school. Um, it
[1:46:39] is a collective history rooted, um, in a community that is resilient
[1:46:43] and so important to who we are as long beach. And I'm grateful that we are at this space
[1:46:47] today. So I'm thrilled we have reached this agreement. Thank
[1:46:51] you kelvin and tanisha and the whole anderson family, thank you for trusting
[1:46:55] us to finally get it done. And I look forward to seeing the sign back on the
[1:46:59] corner where it belongs in our community. Thank you. Thank you. Council member thrash and took.
[1:47:04] all right. Um, good evening. I believe that long beach
[1:47:09] is really, really lucky to have something as special as vip
[1:47:13] records. Um, it's already been noted that six since 1978, it's
[1:47:17] been a big part of the sound culture and identity of the city and
[1:47:21] hip hop across southern california and noted as the world.
[1:47:25] I wanna start by thanking kelvin anderson sr. For everything
[1:47:30] that he has poured into this community, uh, and the people,
[1:47:34] uh, who can tell stories about what you've done so unselfishly,
[1:47:38] um, in connecting with young people and artists in our community.
[1:47:43] vip records was more than just a store. It was a place young
[1:47:47] people could find their voice, develop their talent, and stay connected to something
[1:47:51] positive, especially during a very difficult time, uh, in our city.
[1:47:56] because of that, as we've just received tonight, there are so many notable
[1:48:00] artists that grew up right here in long beach and they have taken
[1:48:04] that sound for the entire world to hear. The vip record
[1:48:08] sign that we're talking about tonight is so easily recognizable and it
[1:48:12] means a whole lot to a lot of people. It is reminder of how
[1:48:16] music shaped, uh, this local neighborhood and helped define the city
[1:48:21] as to who we are. That's why the city's decision to designate
[1:48:25] it as a historical landmark in our community is so important,
[1:48:30] and to make sure that we bring it back in such a visible and permanent way.
[1:48:34] I appreciate the partnership, um, with vip records and the community
[1:48:39] outreach that's been done so far. I'm so very grateful to our city staff that
[1:48:43] have continued to pick up the mantle and keep moving forward with ensuring
[1:48:47] that we repaired the trust and the opportunity to be able to showcase
[1:48:52] this iconic, um, item on pch and martin luther
[1:48:56] king jr. Avenue. I know that there's still work to do
[1:49:00] with the refurbishment, but I'm really glad to know that tanisha and kelvin's
[1:49:05] insight will be part of that process. And as I understand it,
[1:49:09] lbcc is nearby and there may be opportunities for additional
[1:49:13] expanded, uh, outreach and revitalization, uh, within the community.
[1:49:18] so this is long overdue and this is our chance to celebrate
[1:49:22] history, a true local legacy, and to make sure that future generations
[1:49:27] and seeing this young woman here today is a reminder, um, that this
[1:49:31] story is not over and there is more to come. Um, I'm happy
[1:49:35] to, uh, support this item. And mayor, thank you so much for obliging
[1:49:39] me and my interest in having a photo tonight with the council and those who we honor,
[1:49:43] uh, tonight with the vip record signed. Thank you. Alright, that
[1:49:47] concludes the rest of the council comments. We'll have a roll call. Vote please.
[1:49:52] district two
[1:49:56] aye. District three aye. District four. Aye.
[1:50:00] district five. Aye. District six. Aye. District seven aye.
[1:50:04] district eight. Aye. District nine. Aye. Motion is carried.
[1:50:09] all right. The council will join us down. Uh, uh
[1:53:00] all right everyone, we're gonna reconvene the council early sixties. Thank
[1:53:04] you so much. Yeah, I'm a 73-year-old . Hey
[1:53:08] fran. Hey fran.
[1:53:12] hey, mr. Fran.
[1:53:17] fran.
[1:53:30] all right. It's a whole lot of people waiting on the next couple agenda items.
[1:53:41] mm-hmm .
[1:53:47] all right. It settled down. It settled down enough. Okay, we're gonna continue.
[1:53:52] uh, we're go to item number 11, next
[1:53:56] report from economic development and opportunity recommendation to adopt specifications
[1:54:00] and award a contract to ike smart city for the design
[1:54:04] project management, software development, manufacturing,
[1:54:08] construction and installation, content management, operations and maintenance
[1:54:13] and advertising sales of a digital kiosk network up to 50
[1:54:17] kiosks for a period of 10 years with the option to renew for
[1:54:21] one additional 10 year period and authorized to execute all
[1:54:26] documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments
[1:54:30] citywide. Alright, so, uh, in terms of the order
[1:54:34] and announced this earlier, I announced it again. So we're handling this item, item
[1:54:38] 36. Then you have public comment. You have,
[1:54:43] uh, 33, 35, 37, which are renewals of bids.
[1:54:47] uh, and then we have some ordinances take care of. So that's the order tonight. Alright.
[1:54:51] this is, uh, this item 11 is in keeping with, uh, uh, the
[1:54:55] theme tonight. Grow long beach. We are growing our revenue. Uh,
[1:54:59] we just had a proposal on amphitheater, which is a public comment. Uh,
[1:55:04] excuse me. That's not what we do here. For people who are here as you know
[1:55:08] that there's public comment, some people are here as well.
[1:55:12] there are a lot of people here waiting. Yeah. Raise your hand if you're waiting on your item.
[1:55:18] thank you. So we don't take your priority over everyone else. Let's respect
[1:55:22] everyone's time. I stated the order, and then we're gonna continue
[1:55:26] with the order. Thank you so much. Okay. So, so in this item
[1:55:31] again, uh, this is a proposal for a digital network,
[1:55:35] uh, that helps generate about $1.4 million
[1:55:39] a year in annual revenue that is in keeping with our work on the amphitheater,
[1:55:44] our work on, uh, cultural preservation with the vip sign. And
[1:55:48] now we have, uh, a new way for to do digital way finding in our city
[1:55:53] in a way that is, is modern and sleek and generates revenue for our city.
[1:55:57] uh, this, uh, uh, is, is, uh, an important, uh,
[1:56:01] presentation we're gonna hear from. Thank you so much.
[1:56:06] thank you. Us president. We've been asking you for help. Thank you so much.
[1:56:10] okay. I've sat with so we're gonna, we're we're, I've already emailed
[1:56:14] you the proposals, dr. So you just gonna do your
[1:56:18] own public comment on your own?
[1:56:23] you, you don't wanna hear what we have to say. Say reality
[1:56:28] by the rules. Yeah. You trying acknowledge the
[1:56:32] reality b******t. You're welcome to wait till public comment or you can leave.
[1:56:37] it's that simple public. Thank you so much as the
[1:56:41] chair of the meeting, I establish when these things take place, but thank you
[1:56:45] so much, everyone. All right,
[1:56:49] I'm gonna, I'm gonna respect everyone who's waiting patiently for their items who are coming forward.
[1:56:53] thank you. You know that they're here, they're staying in our city.
[1:56:58] not only that, I have proof that long beach pd. Thank you.
[1:57:02] and we'll hear all about it at public. Comment at seven night.
[1:57:07] these council meetings go till 11 o'clock sometimes. Okay, then you thank you.
[1:57:11] thank you. That's the spirit. All right, so now we're gonna go to the presentation.
[1:57:16] before we do the present, we're gonna go to the presentation. Before we do presentation, can we get a motion in a second?
[1:57:20] we need a motion in a second. So moved. Alright, moved. Eight guys,
[1:57:25] kirk and eight and five. We'll start our staff presentation. Thank
[1:57:29] you. Thank you, mr. Mayor. So, uh, as you mentioned, this is another
[1:57:33] part of our grow long beach strategy. Uh, we're incredibly excited, uh, to bring
[1:57:37] this to you. And you're gonna see this in a different couple different phases. It's gonna start in downtown,
[1:57:41] but we've really thought about citywide equity as well. Uh, this is up to 50 kiosks that
[1:57:45] we can distribute throughout the city. Uh, and so you're really, uh, gonna hear about this
[1:57:49] and the investment. And then also, uh, how this is gonna help do public
[1:57:53] advertising as well for, uh, community messaging. Uh, and then we also have the ability to work
[1:57:57] with our small business as part of it. So I will turn it over to beau martinez to walk through the presentation.
[1:58:04] thank you. City manager moca, uh, mayor, city council, beau martinez,
[1:58:08] director of economic development. Um, this item provides an overview of recommended
[1:58:13] contract with ikes mark city to implement a citywide kiosk network.
[1:58:18] this proposal is a strategic citywide investment in how
[1:58:22] our city communicates, navigates, and act activates its public spaces.
[1:58:27] this network of digital kiosk will improve way finding, expand
[1:58:31] access to real-time infra city information, promote local
[1:58:35] businesses and events, and enhance the pedestrian experience across
[1:58:40] downtown, the waterfront, and throughout our neighborhood commercial corridors.
[1:58:45] as the mayor mentioned, this initiative also reflects how we are leveraging city owned assets through
[1:58:49] the grow long beach initiative and the creation of the rise division
[1:58:54] renovation, re revenue, innovation, and strategic enhancements
[1:58:58] to responsibly diversify the city's economy and revenue streams.
[1:59:03] this revenue sharing partnership with ike smart city will generate new and
[1:59:07] recurring revenues to support the high quality community services
[1:59:11] and amenities our residents and visitors enjoy.
[1:59:16] but most importantly, as we think about the revenue innovation and strategic,
[1:59:20] strategic enhancements, not only along with the waterfront, but throughout the city as tonight
[1:59:24] you hear with the long beach amphitheater project, it's gonna generate over $7 million
[1:59:29] during the lifetime of that project. This project's gonna generate
[1:59:33] over $28 million over the lifetime of the projects, thus equaling over
[1:59:37] $35 million in new revenue generating opportunities in the city
[1:59:41] tonight. So with that, I'd like to have eric romero,
[1:59:45] our waterfront development bureau, complete the presentation.
[1:59:49] good evening mayor and city council. In may, 2025, the
[1:59:53] city issued a request for proposals to select a partner to implement a digital
[1:59:57] kiosk network in long beach. The rfp outlined a variety of goals, which
[2:00:01] emphasized balancing the kiosk commercial goals with quality of life, minimizing upfront
[2:00:05] and ongoing costs for the city to implement and manage the kiosks, generating new revenue
[2:00:10] to the city, and supporting community based organizations and small businesses.
[2:00:14] one proposal was submitted in response to the rfp by ike smart city, llc.
[2:00:18] a committee of city staff evaluated the proposal based on the company's experience implementing
[2:00:23] similar projects, the proposed project plan, the kiosk design and
[2:00:27] functionality, and the financial proposal. Thank you.
[2:00:32] ike. Smart city is a market leader in partnering with municipalities to design, deploy, and
[2:00:37] operate digital kiosk networks, and is well qualified to lead this project.
[2:00:41] the company has installed and currently operates more than 700 kiosks in 23 cities
[2:00:45] nationwide, several of which are highlighted, uh, here on the screen.
[2:00:49] ike smart city has the in-house expertise required to successfully deploy, manage,
[2:00:53] and maintain the kiosk network, and through its sister company, orange barrel media. Uh,
[2:00:58] ike has longstanding relationships with national and regional advertisers, which
[2:01:02] is critical to the financial success of the kiosk network.
[2:01:07] ike's digital kiosks offer a wide range of features and public benefits. The
[2:01:12] kiosks are durable and constructed with weather resistant materials designed for outdoor use.
[2:01:16] the kiosks are multilingual, allowing users to access content and their preferred their
[2:01:20] preferred language. Cities can select languages that reflect the surrounding community,
[2:01:24] and iq uses human interpreters to ensure key interface translations are
[2:01:29] accurate. The kiosk will be a da compliant and designed to
[2:01:33] avoid obstructing pedestrian pathways or creating barriers to safe and convenient
[2:01:37] travel. The kiosk will adhere to strict privacy standards, so so
[2:01:41] there'll be no sharing of, uh, personally identifiable information. It's not
[2:01:45] collected. All user interactions will be anonymous and any data collected is
[2:01:50] aggregated and anon anonymized. The kiosk improved navigation
[2:01:54] and wayfinding of transit, parking, local businesses and cultural
[2:01:58] destinations. The kiosk can display information about community resources including
[2:02:02] food banks, free health clinics, veteran services, family services, shelters,
[2:02:07] and more. The kiosk can disseminate critical emer emergency information such
[2:02:11] as weather alerts. They'll also support economic activity through proximity based
[2:02:16] business directory listings, and they can integrate with city applications such
[2:02:20] as the go long beach app. They'll have, uh, interactive games and activities
[2:02:25] to drive user engagement, and they're a lot more kiosk features and
[2:02:29] benefits. This is not an exhaustive list. The image on the slide shows an example of the
[2:02:33] kiosk design. The final kiosk will be customized for long beach and match the long beach
[2:02:37] brand and are expected to be approximately eight feet tall, three feet wide, and one one
[2:02:41] foot, uh, deep.
[2:02:46] I'll now walk through the key terms of the proposal negotiated by city staff with ike smart city.
[2:02:51] the proposal allows ike smart city to deploy up to 50 digital kiosks implemented
[2:02:55] in two phases of 25 kiosks. Each phase one would be deployed
[2:02:59] in downtown with phase two deployed in other areas of the city.
[2:03:04] ike smart city will advance all capital and operating costs required to implement and operate
[2:03:08] the kiosk network. These costs will be reimbursed from gross advertising
[2:03:12] revenue generated by the kiosk. Over a period of 10 years. Ix
[2:03:16] smart city will provide the city with either a minimum annual guarantee of
[2:03:21] $10,000 per kiosk or 30% of net advertising
[2:03:25] revenue, whichever is greater. The minimum annual guarantee will
[2:03:29] increase by 10% in years five, 10, and 15.
[2:03:33] and if the kiosk network generates at least $200,000 in annual revenue per
[2:03:37] kiosks in any given year, the city's share will increase to 40% of net
[2:03:41] advertising revenue. Revenue sharing payments will be made quarterly and the agreement will
[2:03:45] include city audit rights. To ensure transparency and accountability,
[2:03:51] the city will receive 12.5% of advertising inventory at no cost.
[2:03:56] in addition to any unsold advertising space, discounted advertising
[2:04:00] rates will be available to local small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Small
[2:04:04] businesses will also have the opportunity to apply for two weeks of free advertising space.
[2:04:09] the agreement will have an initial 10 year term with an option to extend for an additional
[2:04:13] 10 years. And ike smart city will be required to conduct ongoing community
[2:04:17] engagement during site planning, kiosk deployment, and throughout kiosk operations.
[2:04:23] the following slides provide an overview, ike smart city's scope of services. Ike
[2:04:27] will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of the kiosk network, including
[2:04:31] kiosk design and fabrication, pre-construction planning and site preparation,
[2:04:37] engineering and permit preparation, construction and installation, content
[2:04:41] development and ongoing operations and maintenance. As part of
[2:04:45] the kiosk site selection, ike will conduct site specific due diligence, including
[2:04:49] confirming that each location has sufficient power and recommended kiosk.
[2:04:54] locations will be located at active intersections with high pedestrian traffic,
[2:04:58] uh, minimize obstructions such as street furniture and buildings. They'll
[2:05:02] be situated in areas near local retailers, restaurants and cultural or tourism as
[2:05:06] assets, and the kiosk will not be located in any areas that are solely residential.
[2:05:13] this slide continues to outline ike's scope of services. So ike will hire a
[2:05:17] local maintenance team and inspect, test and clean the kiosks at least five days per week.
[2:05:21] the team will respond promptly to maintenance issues or vandalism with a goal of
[2:05:26] resolving minor issues within a few hours and addressing more complex issues within 24 to
[2:05:30] 48 hours. It's important to note that all advertisements de displayed
[2:05:34] on the kiosk must comply with the city's established advertising restrictions. The
[2:05:38] city prohibits adult or vice related content including sexual content, vulgar
[2:05:43] language or gestures and advertising for alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.
[2:05:47] advertisements may not impersonate the city of long beach or imply city endorsement
[2:05:51] of any product or service to protect public safety. Advertisements
[2:05:55] may not, uh, be distracting or confusing to drivers and may not include words such
[2:05:59] as stop drive or danger and flashing lights or symbols that could be
[2:06:03] mistaken for traffic signals or emergency vehicles are prohibited.
[2:06:09] this slide summarizes the projected revenue to the city from the advertising revenue sharing
[2:06:13] agreement. With ike at full deployment, with 50 kiosks each guaranteeing
[2:06:17] a minimum of $10,000 annually, the network would generate at least $500,000
[2:06:22] per year for the city during the first five years of the term. As noted earlier,
[2:06:26] the minimum annual guarantee increases by 10% in years five, 10, and
[2:06:31] 15. Based on ike's financial projections, revenues are expected to
[2:06:35] exceed the minimum guarantee and could generate approximately 1.4 million
[2:06:39] in average annual revenue for the city. After full deployment or roughly $28 million
[2:06:43] over 20 years, the kiosk network is expected to begin generating
[2:06:48] revenue at limited number of downtown locations. Toward the end of the current fiscal year,
[2:06:52] revenue from kiosks located within the tidelands area will be deposited into the tidelands
[2:06:57] fund. While revenue from kiosks located outside the thailands area will be deposited into
[2:07:01] the city's general fund. At this time, detailed projections showing the revenue split between
[2:07:05] the titles fund and the general fund are not yet available. Those projections will be finalized
[2:07:10] once I confirms the final kiosk locations. And this
[2:07:14] concludes our presentation for this item. Thank you. Alright, thank you for that presentation
[2:07:18] and I'll take it, uh, to take it behind the daas council member th
[2:07:22] took, uh, thank you mayor and thank you to the city for staff
[2:07:26] for that report there. You know, as an urban planner, I get excited about
[2:07:30] these kinds of way finding signs. Um, I think this is a really important step
[2:07:35] to continuing to ensure that as we move people throughout our city,
[2:07:39] but especially in the downtown to start that we make it very, very easy for them to
[2:07:43] be able to access and understand, uh, what's happening in our city. And I also
[2:07:47] think that this kind of asset when, uh, implemented, can also add to the vibrancy
[2:07:52] of our, uh, corridors. Uh, I wanna thank the team for bringing this,
[2:07:56] uh, forward in such a creative way and all the thoughtfulness regarding, um, how
[2:08:00] it will roll out and ensure a level of safety as well as economic opportunity.
[2:08:05] um, and you highlighted that these kiosks will be a da accessible and be
[2:08:09] available in a variety of languages, uh, for all of the public to be able to
[2:08:13] engage. Um, I understand that the rollout is going to be in two phases
[2:08:17] with the first phase focused on downtown, um, which we understand.
[2:08:22] um, and then looking at moving intentionally across the rest of the city.
[2:08:26] uh, really appreciate that. And identifying key emerging commercial corridors
[2:08:30] where we can also utilize, um, these kiosks as well.
[2:08:34] uh, one thing that I think is really exciting is to be able to have public messaging,
[2:08:39] um, on them. So this is an opportunity to get key messages out, uh, across the
[2:08:43] city. Um, and I'd like to recommend, uh, to staff as we consider what
[2:08:47] that messaging looks like, especially for those kiosks that are gonna start in downtown.
[2:08:52] there may be an opportunity to encourage, um, or to have
[2:08:56] an icon to encourage, uh, those pedestrians to look at other parts
[2:09:00] of the city. So explore, uh, different parts of the city or different cultural districts
[2:09:04] or various different experiences that you can have throughout the city while
[2:09:08] it's located in downtown, this may give, uh, people an opportunity to explore,
[2:09:12] uh, the rest of the city. So I hope that this is something that we can put in the first
[2:09:17] phase, um, since the first, uh, set of kiosks will be, uh, in
[2:09:21] the downtown area. Um, but I think that this will be a great way to continue to,
[2:09:25] um, invest and give people a reason to beat in our city and to circulate,
[2:09:29] um, as comfortably and easily as possible. Thank you.
[2:09:33] thank you. Council member cart. Uh, yes, thank you for the team for their hard work on
[2:09:37] this over the last many, many months. Um, and thank you to my colleague for, uh, those great comments.
[2:09:42] um, I concur with what's been said. I think there's an opportunity for
[2:09:46] folks who aren't downtown, um, as they move into other parts of the city, potentially
[2:09:50] the airport, really incorporating what some of our public transit options are as well
[2:09:54] to get people to those destinations. Um, whether they're cultural destinations, social destinations,
[2:09:59] events happening in other parts of the city. Um, a really comprehensive way to
[2:10:03] get around long beach, not just know where everything is. So I look forward to how we
[2:10:07] continue, uh, to roll this out and work together. Thank you so much.
[2:10:13] council member sorrow. Uh, thanks mayor and
[2:10:17] thank you eric and uh, for your work on this as well as the
[2:10:21] whole team and bringing this forward. I think it's really exciting when we
[2:10:25] can always have more digital, uh, tools that are accessible
[2:10:30] to the public. Uh, not just for way finding, but I think as a way to
[2:10:34] educate and provide information about different aspect of where
[2:10:38] these will be located in the city. Like it could be, you
[2:10:42] know, a, a mini like placemaking opportunity to educate
[2:10:47] a corridor as they do in other parts of the city with actual like
[2:10:51] physical photos. Um, this could be digital kind of curation.
[2:10:56] and the other thing, um, is I'm hoping that when we do look into
[2:11:00] phase two, where there are key energy, key corridor
[2:11:04] is looking at high, using some data to determine where we can place some more opportunities
[2:11:09] for activation as well. Um, bringing attention to an area,
[2:11:13] not just where it's already, uh, busy, but where it could be busy.
[2:11:17] um, and then the other thing is, I just had a few questions about the advertisement.
[2:11:23] while, uh, campaign signs are prohibited on public property,
[2:11:27] I'm just wondering if this would be included as a area where
[2:11:31] we would, alright, public campaigning or political. So this is your final warning.
[2:11:35] you need to allow the proceedings to continue. The process is if you
[2:11:40] continue this, I have to empty the entire chamber. All of these people who are
[2:11:44] here have to go to work tomorrow. A hundred people
[2:11:48] have to go to work tonight and tomorrow. Please respect them. You
[2:11:52] have your opportunity to speak. Otherwise I have to ask everyone to step out
[2:11:56] and let everyone back in and you'll be gone. I just told you
[2:12:00] earlier, we have this item, then we have this item where all these people are
[2:12:05] speaking and then you have public comment. We're almost there. Public comment
[2:12:10] is in two more items and then we'll conclude the rest of the agenda.
[2:12:14] are we clear on that? There's this item. There's the item. All of these people
[2:12:18] are patiently waiting for and then there's right, and they're waiting patiently.
[2:12:23] so please respect everyone here and allow them to participate
[2:12:27] and you will have your moment. You can say whatever you want for your three minutes, really.
[2:12:31] thank you. Alright. Please proceed. All right. So I just,
[2:12:35] yeah, my question is, because it's not specifically public property, is
[2:12:39] political campaigning allowed on this? Because, um, so I'm just
[2:12:43] curious about that. Um, ashley stone,
[2:12:48] deputy city attorney, that's a very good question. Um, council member sorrow. And
[2:12:52] it's something that you're absolutely right. We cannot use public resources to go to
[2:12:56] campaign activity and we're entering into a campaign season. Um, and I
[2:13:01] think it, the kiosks are not intended to be city property, but we
[2:13:05] also wanna make sure we're not creating the appearance of an endorsement aligned with the
[2:13:09] spirit of our advertising policy. So I think you're raising a really good question. We
[2:13:13] can, um, you know, provide clarity around that. Yeah, thank you. Just because,
[2:13:17] um, they are tied to the city and I just
[2:13:21] wanted to be, make sure we get clarity on campaigning
[2:13:25] ads on these. Yeah. And council manara will work very closely with like smart
[2:13:30] cities and the city attorney's office and making sure that we're not only managing the content,
[2:13:34] but also looking at potential prohibitions around the content that will, uh, be on each
[2:13:38] of those kiosks. All right, thank you. Alright,
[2:13:42] thank you. Next is council member rick sodi. Uh, thank you mayor.
[2:13:46] um, I just had two questions. Um, I think this is a really interesting and exciting initiative,
[2:13:51] so I'm looking forward to seeing, um, as these go up and follow them along.
[2:13:55] um, my first question was, can you talk, I think sometimes when people talk about things being a
[2:13:59] da compliant, people don't necessarily know what that means when we talk about technology like that. Could
[2:14:03] you all talk a little bit about what aspects of the kiosk, um, that we would
[2:14:08] visibly be people would visibly be able to see or, and engage with that'll allow it to be a da compliant?
[2:14:12] sure. That's a great question. So a da stands for americans with disabilities
[2:14:16] act and the kiosk locations will comply with all federal a da
[2:14:21] requirements and also any applicable city codes and design standards. And
[2:14:25] some examples of compliance will be maintaining, uh,
[2:14:29] required unobstructed p parian, uh, clearances. So not creating obstructions
[2:14:33] for people that are, are using a sidewalk, for example. Also digital
[2:14:37] accessibility. Uh, accessibility will be important. So the size of text or
[2:14:41] the colors that are used will be important for some folks as well. And then usability.
[2:14:46] so how user friendly is it, for example, for someone that's in a wheelchair and can they reach
[2:14:50] and interact with interface as well? Are some considerations that will be taken into account
[2:14:54] as these are developed and deployed to ensure compliance with a da. Um, and then, uh,
[2:14:58] do we know what is the, um, what are the accessibility, um, options for
[2:15:02] those who are hearing impaired or deaf? I don't have that available right now,
[2:15:07] but we will follow up up with that information. Right. Okay. Yeah, I was just curious. I had met with the,
[2:15:11] um, uh, I had, I had, uh, met with the, um,
[2:15:15] operators, uh, earlier in the week. Um, and I just wanted to highlight that they, they had mentioned that
[2:15:19] there was the ability to put in like a phone jack. Um, they also said there
[2:15:23] was ability for, um, users to, to use their own devices
[2:15:27] so they can actually interface directly with the kiosk itself, use their own handheld
[2:15:31] devices. So I really appreciated the fact that it was thoughtful around our, um,
[2:15:36] our disability community and what they use. So that way we make sure that something like
[2:15:40] this is technology is accessible to everyone. And council member rick
[2:15:44] sodi, the, um, uh, I represented from mike smart cities is here in the
[2:15:48] audience tonight too, to also answer any questions or elaborate further. Okay. Wonderful. Um,
[2:15:53] and then my last question was, I know that the idea is that we have the 50 kiosk, 25
[2:15:57] will be kind of in the tidelands downtown area and the other 25 will be inter
[2:16:01] dispersed across the the city. Can you talk a little bit around your vision for
[2:16:05] how we will select those locations, um, in other parts of the city?
[2:16:10] yeah, so we'll work very closely with, um, I ikes mark cities when it comes to
[2:16:14] looking at the, um, number of kiosk and where they'll be located. And
[2:16:18] some of the factors that they'll be looking at is, uh, pedestrian activity,
[2:16:23] impression counts, uh, the technical physi feasibility to locate
[2:16:27] a kiosk along a commercial corridor within the right of way. And then most importantly,
[2:16:31] we'll work with the neighboring, uh, businesses as well as the community as we look
[2:16:35] to locate these, um, into the future. And I'll just add that I, I should
[2:16:39] have mentioned that while pedestrian activity and highly trafficked areas is really important
[2:16:44] from an advertising sales standpoint, I, it is also committed to at
[2:16:48] least 10% of kiosk being located areas that may be not
[2:16:52] the most ideal in terms of a high traffic kind of location, but that are really focused
[2:16:56] on, uh, distributing e the equitable distribution of these kiosk to make sure
[2:17:00] that there are other areas in the city commercially at corridors that are uplifted as well. Okay, wonderful. One
[2:17:04] of the things that I would love to see us do as we're, um, engaging in determining
[2:17:08] locations, if we're thinking about a court, a corridor or a corner, um, and
[2:17:12] I know we talked about making it available and interfacing with the businesses. I'd love to see us
[2:17:17] go and actually kind of maybe even do some canvassing of the businesses in the local area, talk to them about the
[2:17:21] technology, um, and ways that they might utilize it as I feel like that would really inform,
[2:17:25] um, our usage and make sure that it's something that, um, is effective when we're thinking
[2:17:30] about economic development opportunity. Yeah, absolutely. And community engagement is a
[2:17:34] core part of their scope of services. We'll make sure to prioritize that. Excellent.
[2:17:42] thank you. Council member duggan.
[2:17:47] alright, well thanks to the economic development team who brought this
[2:17:51] to the city. I remember seeing it for the first time. Um,
[2:17:56] and I understand a lot of people downtown are excited about this opportunity.
[2:18:02] I think it's great the thought of making sure that there
[2:18:06] is benefit to our local businesses. Um, when we bring this
[2:18:10] here, I, I'm gonna ask a question just to put some people at
[2:18:14] ease 'cause I'm getting some concerns from people that they're
[2:18:18] seeing a lot of the kiosk go downtown. Um, and
[2:18:22] then they're gonna see the kiosk popping up throughout the city. Uh,
[2:18:27] what is the second phase for bringing this out? Do we have specific, uh,
[2:18:31] council member ricks oti talked about canvassing? I'd like
[2:18:35] to hear about how that second phase is going to
[2:18:39] roll out how we're going to get community engagement around
[2:18:43] these bids if, if we're going to use bids or where we're going to put these things.
[2:18:49] absolutely. So community engagement will be a priority for the sighting of,
[2:18:53] of all of these locations. Of course, there'll be a lot of, you know, analytics that will
[2:18:57] be looked at, uh, to identify what are those high traffic locations, those ideal locations from
[2:19:01] an advertising sales standpoint. But community engagement will, will be a part
[2:19:05] of that as well. So that could include outreach to our business improvement districts, other
[2:19:10] business associations that aren't, uh, officially a business improvement district, community,
[2:19:14] uh, organizations like neighborhood or organizations. Um, and, and a lot
[2:19:18] more. So there'll be a robust outreach process. As a part of this, we'll develop that
[2:19:22] community engagement plan in partnership with ike smartt city, assuming that council
[2:19:26] goes forward with rec, uh, uh, approving the recommendation to award this contract to
[2:19:30] the vendor. Great. Good to hear that. They'll bring it to neighborhood associations.
[2:19:35] that's what people are asking for.
[2:19:41] alright, council member thra tu. Yes,
[2:19:45] I have, uh, comments from councilwoman
[2:19:49] zendejas who is not able to be here. I will read them on be on her behalf.
[2:19:54] uh, from the moment this idea was first introduced, I could
[2:19:58] not wait to see it become a reality in downtown long beach. This project
[2:20:03] represents the kind of bold, forward thinking innovation that truly moves our city forward.
[2:20:07] with the olympic games on the horizon, we have an incredible opportunity to
[2:20:11] showcase long beach to the world. The kiosk will play a key role in helping
[2:20:15] visitors and tourists navigate our city, while also serving as a powerful
[2:20:19] place, making assets that highlight our history, major capital
[2:20:23] projects and everything that makes long beach so special. I want
[2:20:28] to sincerely thank clay from ike and their entire
[2:20:32] ike and their entire team for believing in our city, investing in our community,
[2:20:36] and bringing this exciting project to long beach. Their partnership and commitment are exactly
[2:20:40] what strong city collaboration looks like. These kiosks will reflect
[2:20:45] long beach pride, strengthen our identity as a destination of choice, and
[2:20:49] generate local revenue that directly supports our community. Most importantly,
[2:20:54] they have the power to bring our long beach communities together in such a
[2:20:58] unique and innovative way. This is the kind
[2:21:02] of meaningful programming that will elevate the downtown experience for
[2:21:06] everyone. I'm proud to support this item and I can't wait to see it, these
[2:21:10] kiosks activated citywide, especially in our downtown area. Thank you.
[2:21:15] thank you. And council member allen remotely?
[2:21:20] yes. Uh, thank you mayor. And, um, and just, I just
[2:21:24] wanna say thank you so much for the presentation and just all the work, um, that has
[2:21:28] gone into this and all the effort that has gone, uh, to get where we're at today.
[2:21:32] I think, um, it's important that the city leverages, uh, existing
[2:21:37] public space and, um, also think about new
[2:21:41] ways, how we can generate revenue. Um, also signage
[2:21:45] and advertising is a practical approach to diversifying,
[2:21:49] um, how the city supports its economy, especially
[2:21:53] at a time when, uh, we need tools that generate ongoing
[2:21:58] rev revenues. Um, rather than just, um, looking at one
[2:22:02] time solutions we can, um, directly
[2:22:06] support our local businesses, um, and commercial corridors
[2:22:10] by helping, um, drive foot traffic and spending and,
[2:22:15] um, of course activity in these areas, um, where people
[2:22:19] are already gathering. Um, I also believe this helps public spaces
[2:22:23] in a way that strengthens, um, the pedestrian experience,
[2:22:29] which is directly tied to stronger retail, dining
[2:22:33] and, um, entertainment environments. Um, also I believe that
[2:22:37] this item also fits into a broader effort to
[2:22:42] modernize how the city thinks about economic development. And
[2:22:46] I believe that, uh, we are behind in terms of advertising
[2:22:51] and, uh, with related, uh, to, you know, modernizing, um,
[2:22:56] those efforts. So I am happy, uh, to see
[2:23:00] this on the agenda today and it has my, uh, full support.
[2:23:04] so thank you for my colleagues comments and just everyone that, um, that brought this
[2:23:08] forward and made this happen. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, council member subina.
[2:23:13] um, thank you. Just a couple of questions submitted to our office. Um, the
[2:23:17] kiosks are not solar powered, they're hardwired. Um,
[2:23:21] the question was, who picks up the utility bill? Is it covered by
[2:23:25] the vendor or the city or the vendor? Okay. Um, the
[2:23:29] other, uh, I guess request I would have is that we have, um, a system
[2:23:34] in place for handling inquiries, complaints, questions about content,
[2:23:38] uh, whether it's part of the gold long beach app, that's great, but as long as it's there. So
[2:23:42] we avoid, um, those, those kind of comments coming into
[2:23:46] council offices. It can go right to a source. Okay. Thank you. Thank
[2:23:50] you so much. We'll now go to public comment. We have one member of the public signed up to speak. Austin
[2:23:55] matoya.
[2:24:05] I think you took the long way, austin. I was, yeah, I realize that .
[2:24:12] alright, I'll keep my, uh, comments brief on this one. Good evening. Uh, honorable
[2:24:16] mayor, members of the city council. My name is austin matoyer, uh, president and ceo for the downtown
[2:24:20] long beach alliance. But I'm also speaking on behalf of the council of business associations,
[2:24:25] which comprises the city's 10 business improvement districts. Uh, we're
[2:24:29] here in support of the ike smart kiosk. We've had an opportunity to, to see
[2:24:33] the kiosks, uh, in person at uh, fellow downtown organizations
[2:24:38] across the state, as well as have a presentation for mike. Um, we truly
[2:24:42] believe that this system will allow us to better connect the
[2:24:46] city. Uh, what was mentioned earlier by councilman, uh, to know was, uh,
[2:24:50] how do we make sure that what is happening in one part of the district is being,
[2:24:54] uh, conveyed and helped support it in another part of the district. Um, we're really excited,
[2:24:59] even though that downtown will have phase one, we can really advertise and promote what's happening in
[2:25:03] the sixth district, what's happening in bixby knowles, what's happening in belmont shore. Um,
[2:25:07] and we look at this in the context of both the world cup and in
[2:25:11] the context of the olympics. And we want to be able to show
[2:25:15] the, the world when you come to long beach, there's so much more than the one spot that you're
[2:25:20] coming to that maybe the olympic game or the watch party may be happening. So how do you
[2:25:24] help explore? And we feel like these kiosks are a great opportunity for that.
[2:25:28] um, so we're in full support, uh, and we thank you for the opportunity. Thank you. Alright,
[2:25:32] well thank you for your comments. This is a great project. Again, another opportunity to generate revenue.
[2:25:36] our city. Let's have our roll call vote please. Council district two
[2:25:43] aye. Council district three aye. Council
[2:25:47] district four. Aye. Council district five. Aye. Council district six. Aye.
[2:25:51] council district seven aye. Council district eight. Aye. Council district nine.
[2:25:56] aye. Motion carries. Thank you. We now go to item 36, please.
[2:26:00] item 36, report from economic development and opportunity recommendation
[2:26:05] to execute all documents necessary for a fourth amendment to lease between
[2:26:09] the city of long beach and the long beach yacht club. To extend the term of the lease, facilitate
[2:26:14] capital improvements and establish and define rent offsets for city owned
[2:26:18] property. Located at 6 2 0 1 appian way, commonly known
[2:26:22] as the long beach yacht club district three. Alright, thank you. So
[2:26:26] before, okay, we have a motion, uh, cd three. Is there second?
[2:26:32] we need a second on the motion. I'll second. Second. Uh, cd nine. Alright,
[2:26:36] so before we begin the presentation or remind people we have this item,
[2:26:40] then we're going to general public comment and then we continue with the rest of the council meeting.
[2:26:45] so let's start with our staff presentation please. Thank you very much, mr. Mayor.
[2:26:49] so we do have a presentation on this. We're excited to be here, uh, to after, uh,
[2:26:53] a series of negotiations and, and discussions with the yacht club. Uh, the yacht club
[2:26:57] has been a long part of the city's history, uh, dating all the way back to the 1960s and
[2:27:01] it sits on city land. Uh, and so, uh, you know that there's a chance
[2:27:05] to really invest in the yacht club. The yacht club wants to bring a significant investment that
[2:27:09] you hear about tonight and put that into city land and city, uh, what will ultimately
[2:27:14] become city facilities, uh, but also a chance for us to re-look at the agreement to make
[2:27:18] sure that there's public benefit for doing that, uh, and that the yacht club is working
[2:27:22] together with us, uh, to be able to have a community benefit in the amount, uh, equal
[2:27:26] to the, uh, rent that they would be paying. So, uh, it's been a good negotiation. We're excited
[2:27:30] to be here, to recommend this to you. And, uh, we will then turn it over to the team to be
[2:27:34] able to, uh, walk through the details.
[2:27:39] thank you c manager, moka. And as you've uh, seen tonight, um, it's really been about,
[2:27:43] you know, the waterfront from the amphitheater project to the kiosk,
[2:27:47] and now to, uh, the long beach yacht club. And we recognize the opportunity that's
[2:27:52] in front of us. And I think, you know, when you think about creating great places, you got
[2:27:56] to, uh, create great placemaking where people be connected to great places and great
[2:28:00] experiences, and that's what makes our city so special. And with that, um, mary
[2:28:04] tos is going to give us a, a, um, a presentation on, on the, uh, yacht
[2:28:08] club agreement. Thank you, uh, honorable
[2:28:13] mayor, members of the city council. The honor item before you is for a lease extension
[2:28:17] for the long beach yacht club for city owned property. Located at 6 2 0 1 appian way.
[2:28:22] in january of 1960, the city entered into lease number 7 0 1 3
[2:28:26] with the long beach yacht club for approximately 70,577 square feet
[2:28:30] of city owned property to construct the clubhouse and the rent was set at $1,800
[2:28:35] per year. In january, 1970, city council authorized the
[2:28:39] first amendment, which extended the term for 50 years until january, 2020.
[2:28:43] and included rent adjustments through cpi increases, the rent was set at $2,400
[2:28:48] per year. In march of 2007, city council authorized
[2:28:52] the second amendment extending the term to january, 2050 with rent increases being offset
[2:28:56] through a lump sum extension fee of $250,000 and capital improvements
[2:29:01] of $430,000. In july, 2011, city council
[2:29:05] authorized the third amendment, which clarified the use of mooring facilities to be consistent
[2:29:09] with city policy. Um, the proposed project before you,
[2:29:14] uh, the long beach child club is proposing, uh, a project that includes demolition
[2:29:18] of an existing storage building pool and pool decking and construction of a
[2:29:22] two story addition with roof deck, new pool area, and decking, and ancillary storage
[2:29:26] and equipment areas. The project also includes construction of a new 375
[2:29:30] square foot community room, which will be made available for community-based programming and
[2:29:34] meetings. Additional landscaping is also planned.
[2:29:38] to that end, the fourth amendment, uh, has been negotiated with the following terms.
[2:29:43] the premises is currently 70,556 square feet with the land,
[2:29:48] uh, of land with the building. Uh, that measures 19,915 square feet
[2:29:53] while the building, uh, will increase by approximately 20,000, uh, usable
[2:29:57] square feet. Pursuant to the project, the leasehold area remains the same at the approximately
[2:30:01] 70,000 square feet. The yacht club will invest a minimum of $10 million
[2:30:05] in capital investment into the facility and be responsible for the entire cost for all improvements
[2:30:09] in modifications to facilitate the financing required to
[2:30:13] complete the construction, the term will be reset to 66 years effective january 1st, 2026,
[2:30:19] and expiring december 31st, 2091. And the city may be
[2:30:23] asked to consent to a leasehold deed of trust, which agreeing, agreeing that a leasehold mortgage you
[2:30:27] will have certain commercial reasonable rights. The consent is for security purposes
[2:30:31] only, and is not an assignment of the lease. Unless a foreclosure or assignment in lieu
[2:30:35] of foreclosure occurs, base rent will be set at $200,000
[2:30:40] annually, which is fair. Market value is determined by an independent appraisal. 10%
[2:30:45] of the base rent will be paid annually in cash with the remaining 90% eligible for
[2:30:49] rent offsets. Uh, the base rent increase will not take effect until the final
[2:30:53] certificate of occupancy has been issued after construction and the base rent will be
[2:30:57] subject, uh, to a 10% increase every five years. Rent
[2:31:01] credits available will be first, um, involving the community room use. The
[2:31:05] city will be entitled to use the community room for up to 600 hours,
[2:31:09] uh, per year at no cost to the city or its partners. The value of this rent
[2:31:14] offset is set at $200 per hour with an annual rent credit of $120,000.
[2:31:19] once the community room is constructed, inability available for use, city programs
[2:31:23] and services as well as community groups will be eligible to reser reserve the space.
[2:31:28] additional rent offset will be available through documented value of non-member reduced
[2:31:32] or free use community benefits provided at the premises or adjacent to the premises
[2:31:37] if they are c based programs. An example of some of these community benefits
[2:31:41] are swim and scaling sailing scholarships with nonprofit partners such as ymca and the boys
[2:31:45] and girls club to offer an outreach scholarships for swimming and sailing lessons.
[2:31:49] panthers at sea, which is a free day program for students at jordan high school, and scholarships
[2:31:54] for year-round junior sailing program for non-members.
[2:31:58] the value of these offsets will be adjusted consistent with the rent escalator of 10%
[2:32:02] every five years. Um, the programs may be added or subtracted subject
[2:32:06] to city approval. The yacht club, the yacht club will provide an annual community
[2:32:11] benefit report outlining all the proposed rent offsets.
[2:32:17] uh, apologize. Um, we'll provide an annual report
[2:32:21] outlining all the annual community benefit. Uh, the proposed rent offsets for the proceeding
[2:32:25] lease year. If the rent off offsets do not meet or exceed 90% of
[2:32:29] the base rent, the difference will be due in cash within 30 days. Reporting of the
[2:32:33] rent offset will not begin until the base rent increase has taken effect upon the issuance of the
[2:32:38] certificate of occupancy. And therefore, the recommendation before you is
[2:32:42] to authorize the city manager or designee to execute all documents necessary
[2:32:46] for the fourth amendment between the city and the long beach chalk club. This concludes the staff report and I'm
[2:32:50] available to answer any questions you may have. Alright, thanks so much. We're gonna hold
[2:32:54] the questions. There's a number of people who've waited patiently for public comment. Now is
[2:32:58] that time I'm gonna, uh, we have, uh, a number of speakers signed
[2:33:02] up. I'm gonna do the first 10, uh, larry bustos, eddie
[2:33:06] rivera, jason, baiz, phil dandridge, julie snow,
[2:33:12] bob pearcy, matt shea, lisa meyer, pat west, and
[2:33:16] blair mccarty. If you heard your name, please line up.
[2:33:30] all right. All right. Please proceed, sir. Okay, thank you. Good evening, honorable mayor,
[2:33:34] city council and staff. My name is larry bustos and I am a 20 year
[2:33:38] member of labor's international union of north america. I am here today
[2:33:42] to speak in support of this developer and the projects that they build. Good
[2:33:46] responsible developers like this one believe in strong wages with good
[2:33:50] benefits that support working families. These tough economic times affects
[2:33:55] all of us, and this is exactly why we need those types of projects. These
[2:33:59] projects invest in the local community and deliver hundreds of high quality construction jobs
[2:34:03] that provide good wages, health benefits, and a pension.
[2:34:08] this opportunity is right here in our local community, in our local skilled and
[2:34:12] trained workforce. Like those in orange, you see behind me. Stand ready to
[2:34:16] build it. Thank you. Thank you so much.
[2:34:20] next speaker is eddie, then jason. Good
[2:34:24] morning, uh, mayor and, uh, staff. It's almost
[2:34:29] morning . I just woke up,
[2:34:33] uh, . All kidding aside, thank you for letting me speak.
[2:34:37] uh, once again, my name is eddie rivera. I am a member of the labor's international union of
[2:34:41] north america here before you in support of this project, as well
[2:34:45] as the amphitheater, I didn't get a chance to speak on. Um, but
[2:34:50] I hope you move it forward again, for many reasons, positive reasons.
[2:34:54] I, I tend to be positive and focus on the good of things. And there's a lot
[2:34:58] of good here. It's been there for many years. Why can't we just make it
[2:35:02] better? That's, I think, the end goal here. So I hope we,
[2:35:06] we could see all the benefits in many different ways, whether it's members
[2:35:11] going to work close to home without commuting on that
[2:35:15] horrible 4 0 5 or the 91, going and coming to
[2:35:19] inland empire, north la, orange county, whatnot.
[2:35:23] um, just trying to stay close to home for, for the possibilities
[2:35:27] of workers, local hire, benefits, pension,
[2:35:32] um, in, in these days with the, uh,
[2:35:38] situation coming from the white house, a lot of instability, uncertainty,
[2:35:42] a lot of negativity. We need to push the positive and this
[2:35:46] is just a big positive, good developer, good partners.
[2:35:50] I hope you, uh, can approve it. Thank you for your time. Thank you so much.
[2:35:55] next is jason and then phil, honorable counsel jason
[2:35:59] baez with labor's international union of north america here tonight
[2:36:04] in full support. We are truly ecstatic for the opportunity
[2:36:08] to put forth the pride of our trade into such a historical
[2:36:13] landmark. And we are also very grateful to the long beach yacht
[2:36:17] club for their benevolence in providing good paying
[2:36:22] living wage jobs to the community. Most of everything
[2:36:26] has been said, but I'd like to share this one statistic with you that I learned
[2:36:30] when a applicant hires non-union contractors, for every
[2:36:35] dollar paid out, only 25 cents stays in that community.
[2:36:39] but when applicants hire local union contractors,
[2:36:44] not only does the full dollar paid out, stay in the community,
[2:36:49] but also an additional 50 cents. Thus making
[2:36:53] this an opportunity for the city itself,
[2:36:58] the long beach yacht club and labor's local 1309,
[2:37:02] to have the opportunity to make an excellent contribution
[2:37:06] to the city's endeavor for economic development and opportunity,
[2:37:11] thus making long beach's priority number one,
[2:37:16] it's prosperity. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
[2:37:22] thank you. Next is phil. After phil is julie. Oh,
[2:37:27] hi. I'm actually matt sha, uh, our role mayor, council members
[2:37:31] of city staff and members of the public. Thank you for your opportunity to speak on behalf
[2:37:35] of the long beach lifeguard association in support of the long beach yacht club. My name is matt
[2:37:39] shea and I am the board member of the long beach lifeguard association and a resident
[2:37:43] of district four. The long beach yacht club supports and expands the
[2:37:48] aquatic community by providing access and opportunity while sharing
[2:37:52] knowledge and ex expertise well beyond its membership.
[2:37:56] this is not an exhaustive list, but I wanted to highlight some of the events. The long
[2:38:00] beach yacht club supports and sponsors and hosts at their club. The waterproof
[2:38:04] our youth program, which teaches free swim lessons to children to learn to swim in long
[2:38:08] beach. The annual heroes regatta at which public safety and military members
[2:38:13] and their families are invited by the yacht club for a day of friendly sailing competitions
[2:38:17] and celebration. Special meetings for the united states coast guard sector la
[2:38:21] at which stakeholders are brought together to discuss significant events, california
[2:38:26] boater safety courses and sailing lessons at which waterways are safer
[2:38:30] for all persons on the water monthly. They host the long beach lifeguard alumni
[2:38:35] at which community service and outreach is planned california select
[2:38:39] surf lifesaving association meetings. The csla is the organization that sets and
[2:38:43] maintains the professional standards for pro open water lifeguarding, long beach lifeguard
[2:38:47] hall of fame, award ceremonies, and end of summer banquets
[2:38:52] for local high schools such as millikin and wilson. And they host regular blood drives,
[2:38:56] the long beach lifeguard association. Thanks the club for their willingness and per
[2:39:00] thank you, your time is concluded. Thank you so much. Long list today.
[2:39:04] uh, julie and bob.
[2:39:09] hello there. My name is julie s. Snow. I'm a belmont shore resident and
[2:39:13] I am one of a few volunteers that have helped to establish the
[2:39:17] high school sailing program. We operate out of long beach yacht club. This is our fourth
[2:39:21] season. We are opened all eighth through 12th grade
[2:39:26] students in the school in our school district, as well as just outside of
[2:39:30] the city of long beach. I am very much for the remodel
[2:39:34] of the club. This will bring some much needed classroom space and training space for our
[2:39:38] sailors. Uh, we are open for any of
[2:39:42] the kids and really working on our outreach now as we are in
[2:39:47] our fourth year to try to get more, uh, high schoolers
[2:39:51] to come and experience the opportunity of sailing. And a lot of our
[2:39:55] current sailors, this is the first time they've ever sailed in their lives. Some of you
[2:39:59] may be familiar with the big rose bowl, uh, sailing retta that
[2:40:03] we had this past weekend. It was held just off of the granada lawn
[2:40:08] tramp and it attracts high schools, uh, all over the coast
[2:40:12] of california as well as some out-of-state schools
[2:40:16] and colleges as well. And some of our very first time sailors had the opportunity
[2:40:20] to sail and they were incredibly competitive. We're so proud of the kids. We
[2:40:24] have scholarships available for the children as well. They're doing great
[2:40:29] and they're really relishing and enjoying this opportunity.
[2:40:33] uh, these classroom, uh, would be amazing for this program. So I'm
[2:40:37] in full support. Thank you. Thank you so much. Alright, next
[2:40:41] is bob and then lisa. Honorable
[2:40:46] mayor, council members. My name is bob pearcy. I serve
[2:40:50] as the commodore of long beach yacht club and I'm here tonight
[2:40:54] not only as a representative of the club, but as a voice for
[2:40:59] a very passionate group, community group, um, that
[2:41:03] enjoys the beautiful waterfront that we have here in long beach.
[2:41:08] over the past 97 years, the long beach yacht club has
[2:41:13] demonstrated a profound commitment to our shoreline position. We
[2:41:17] have invested our own resources to improve the city property.
[2:41:21] this is not just an investment in our club, it's a contribution to
[2:41:25] our entire community. Extending our lease
[2:41:30] reflects not just a commitment to our club, but an affirmation,
[2:41:34] affirmation, excuse me, of the value we bring to this community.
[2:41:39] with your support, we can continue to embrace our waterfront,
[2:41:44] provide valuable programs for our residents,
[2:41:48] and keep the spirit of adventure alive for generations to come.
[2:41:52] I urge, strongly urge you to, um, vote yes on this
[2:41:56] issue. Thank you. Thank you so much.
[2:42:01] alright, see, we, we changed some order, blair. Sorry. Thank you. Alright, uh,
[2:42:05] good evening, mr. Mayor and council members. My name is blair cardi. I'm a retired uni, uh,
[2:42:10] long beach unified school district, high school principal with a master's degree in curriculum
[2:42:14] development and instruction from ucla. And I'm currently the executive director of the adams
[2:42:18] legacy foundation, which is a local nonprofit supporting students getting out into
[2:42:23] nature. But tonight I'm here as a board member of the long beach sailing foundation. And
[2:42:27] because I'm the coordinator of that, of a stem program that it runs, we
[2:42:31] strongly support the long beach yacht club lease extension. We launched the stem program eight years
[2:42:35] ago to bring inner city youth to the water and give them meaningful hands-on learning.
[2:42:39] each year, our partners select 35 middle school students to come to long beach yacht
[2:42:43] club. Once a month for structured three hour saturday program.
[2:42:48] it's two year alternating curriculum designed for middle school students, critical years
[2:42:52] of building confidence in preparing students for more rigorous coursework in their future.
[2:42:56] students rotate through sailing instruction, hands-on stem lessons and rov
[2:43:01] building and testing. The results are strong, 98% attendance rate
[2:43:05] and 95% re uh, return rate. We're halfway through this year's
[2:43:09] cohort and we invite you to visit us on the 16th, uh, from one to 4:00 pm
[2:43:13] but you can see what's going on. We select our partners at the beginning of, or at
[2:43:17] the, for each school year, at the summer, um, proceeding that school
[2:43:21] year. Uh, and we look forward to working with each of your offices for input on those
[2:43:25] students. Thank you for your time. Programs like the stem sailing program,
[2:43:30] uh, open access to our waterways and include students, introduce students to
[2:43:34] maritime engineering and environmental career pathways that they may not otherwise encounter.
[2:43:38] thank you. Your time is, thank you. Thanks so much. Pat,
[2:43:43] before you go, before you go, uh, I'm gonna read the let next
[2:43:47] list of names so they can begin to line up. Marilyn cassidy.
[2:43:51] uh, I'm gonna call phil dandridge one more time. If, if phil's not here, we can take him off the list.
[2:43:56] uh, mike gehrig, andrea gehrig,
[2:44:00] norm rich lisa palmer, tom camp steve scott,
[2:44:05] shannon gallagher. Jonah breslau. B-r-e-s-l-a-u.
[2:44:09] josh deleon. Uh, veronica lawrence. Alright,
[2:44:14] pat, you have the floor. Hi everybody. Lease extensions. Lease
[2:44:18] extensions are hard. They're complicated. Trust me on that.
[2:44:22] um, before I start, I just wanna thank the city team who's worked with us for the past two years to get
[2:44:26] to this level and we thank them so much. Bo martinez, mary torres, christopher
[2:44:31] c***s taught the land, and steve scott. So thank you guys so, so much. So
[2:44:35] the city has numerous leases that is responsible for whether it's in highlands area,
[2:44:39] los salami, des bay, rainbow harbor, the city's beaches, the airport
[2:44:43] parks, golf courses, and the ranchos. Community and public benefits have
[2:44:47] been required for many of these leases for decades. It must be negotiated with the city prior to obtaining
[2:44:52] any lease or lease extension. As you can see, the community benefit package
[2:44:56] negotiated between the city and the long beach yacht club is very robust.
[2:45:00] I believe there's about five yacht clubs in long beach, including the seal beach yacht club
[2:45:04] and the navy yacht club. The long beach yacht club has the most comprehensive
[2:45:08] array of community benefits and public engagement in this arena.
[2:45:13] also know that the term of the lease and of other benefits term of of the lease
[2:45:17] and other benefits can be added and substituted to better meet the needs of the community or the
[2:45:21] council districts. As we go forward, any of these benefits that are not met,
[2:45:26] um, during a certain year, the long beach yacht club rent is increased accordingly.
[2:45:31] also too, there's gonna be a fire suppression system here. Three years ago, the la yacht
[2:45:35] club burned down to the ground in marina del ray and they lost a hundred years of history. Thank you
[2:45:39] very much. Thank you lisa
[2:45:45] mayor. Honorable council people. Good to see all of you again. Many, many thanks to
[2:45:50] tom moca, city manager and the entire staff for working with us on the lease extension.
[2:45:54] so why now? Why is this important? Well, I think every one of us realizes
[2:45:58] that the world has turned their attention to the city of long beach.
[2:46:02] as soon as snoop dogg arrived on our beach after paris,
[2:46:07] everybody looked at long beach. Now is the time that we have the opportunity
[2:46:11] to take advantage of that attention, to build a legacy
[2:46:15] for our youth and our community. Long beach yacht club. And I say
[2:46:20] it's long beach yacht club. Even though we may sit in the third district in
[2:46:24] on the island of naples, it's your yacht club for you to be using.
[2:46:28] now is the time to take the advantage of all of the focus on us to
[2:46:32] continue to build out the programs that long beach yacht club has been building for almost a
[2:46:36] hundred years. We started in the 32 olympics. We continued from the 84
[2:46:41] olympics and the paralympics and we are poised to do it again out of the 28
[2:46:45] olympics. We need your help, we need your children. We are opposed to make that ready.
[2:46:49] you heard blair? We, we will be working with every one of your offices to
[2:46:53] ensure that we have a legacy out of the 28 olympics and we need
[2:46:58] to start now. Any delay on this as you've been seeing within with the amphitheater
[2:47:02] and many, many other projects. And by the way, congratulations on that. I'm excited,
[2:47:06] I'm excited about the kiosks. I would like our congressional cup to be,
[2:47:11] begin using that already. That's coming up in the end of april. That's gonna be great advertising
[2:47:15] for us. But now is our opportunity. It's the opportunity for us to join voices.
[2:47:19] I look forward to working with each and everyone of you personally. Thank you.
[2:47:24] alright, marilyn. Okay. And then we'll scratch phil's
[2:47:28] name. I don't see phil here. Oh, phil is here. Okay, you're next. Phil, I called you like three times.
[2:47:33] should he? No, you can go, you can go after. It's fine. Sorry. Alright, now that we know phil's
[2:47:37] here, you can go ahead and continue. Hello city council. Thank you for the time.
[2:47:42] uh, my name is marilyn cassidy and I'm a lifelong sailor, internationally ranked
[2:47:46] match racer port captain at the california yacht club in marino del rey, which recently
[2:47:50] burned down. And I sit on the board of directors for the long beach sailing foundation.
[2:47:55] uh, I'd like to use my time to make two points. First, the impact of the
[2:47:59] partnership between the sailing foundation and the long beach yacht club. And second,
[2:48:03] the importance of a stable facility for this community programming.
[2:48:07] the relationship between long beach yacht club and the long beach sailing foundation is key to the mission
[2:48:11] of the foundation, which is to maintain their feet, their fleet of 11 boats to promote
[2:48:15] the idea that sailing, especially in a place like long beach, is for
[2:48:19] everyone. Without the support of the yacht club, the sailing foundation's costs would
[2:48:23] be higher support, more limited, and ultimately its mission less fully fulfilled.
[2:48:28] in order for the sailing foundation to continue serving communities currently underrepresented on
[2:48:32] the water, we need the yacht club in its facilities. My second
[2:48:36] point is based on my own experience as a member of a yacht club, currently stuck in a cycle
[2:48:40] of short-term lease extensions when major renovations, to put it mildly, are
[2:48:45] required. A yacht club can best serve its community when it has a long-term lease
[2:48:50] and a solid footing sitting as most of us do in volunteer positions. Every
[2:48:54] meeting about our lease is time we aren't spending on outreach. It's time that our community
[2:48:58] of boaters doesn't feel is spent on the thing that we're all passionate about.
[2:49:02] um, and so I hope that we can support this motion. Thank you. Alright,
[2:49:06] thank you. Alright, phil.
[2:49:11] hello mayor and city council members. I just want to
[2:49:15] reiterate my support of all the points that have been brought forward earlier.
[2:49:19] and this is a opportunity there where we shouldn't let go because
[2:49:25] we need to continue supporting not just the sailing community of long beach,
[2:49:29] but the entire community of long beach. Thank you. Thanks
[2:49:33] phil. Mike and andrea,
[2:49:38] I'm speaking for mike and andrea, so you got a little stage right here. So ,
[2:49:43] so I'm not gonna take all of our time, but, uh, it was nice to hear about the poly
[2:49:47] neighborhood with the vip records because I went to poly and I graduated 50 years
[2:49:51] ago. And we may have our reunion at, at the yacht club, but
[2:49:55] it, um, I I just want to point out some of the things that people have been talking about
[2:50:00] after going to poly. The membership of long beach yacht club is more
[2:50:04] diverse than people commonly think. Like a big, big long list of
[2:50:08] countries where people were born and belong to the long beach yacht club. So it's, it's not,
[2:50:13] doesn't really fulfill the image that everyone says. I've been working on the master
[2:50:17] plan for about 13 years now, believe it or not. And, um,
[2:50:21] as a member of the club and one of the board of directors, it, uh,
[2:50:26] it's important that we get the lease approved and
[2:50:30] get it approved now to meet the timeline to minimize the
[2:50:34] risk of not being done in time for the olympics. So it, uh, I fully support
[2:50:38] the project. Thank you. Thank you so much. Alright,
[2:50:43] next is norm rich and then liz palmer is norm
[2:50:47] here. Okay. Liz, you're up. I'm up. And for once I'm
[2:50:51] not talking about water polo in our community. I'm actually, uh,
[2:50:55] liz palmer. Uh, I am a lifetime, uh, long beach resident,
[2:50:59] born and raised here, and long beach is a city that's divide,
[2:51:04] definitely defined by our connection to the water. And I'm just briefly here,
[2:51:08] gonna read a letter that was submitted late today by mark bonner.
[2:51:13] he is the long beach sea scout, ceo, who's
[2:51:17] in support of, um, our youth as a
[2:51:21] part of scouting america. Dear long beach city council, as scout
[2:51:25] executive ceo of scouting long beach, I'm riding in support of long beach yacht
[2:51:29] club's. Proposed leash extension with the city of long beach. The long beach yacht
[2:51:33] club has been a long valued and responsible stu steward of waterfront
[2:51:38] facilities. With a positive partner with a greater long beach maritime community,
[2:51:42] the proposed leash extension will allow the club to move forward with a modernization
[2:51:47] project and investment that offers meaningful benefits not only to its members,
[2:51:51] but to the city as a whole. From a community perspective, it
[2:51:56] represents an expanded public serving program and access to community space
[2:52:00] that supports city agencies, nonprofit organizations, and neighborhood groups.
[2:52:05] I respectfully urged the city council to approve this lease extension and thank you for your
[2:52:09] continued improvement and commitment to thoughtful waterfront planning and
[2:52:13] community focused development. Thank you. Thank you so much.
[2:52:18] alright, next is tom kemp.
[2:52:22] thank you am mayor richardson. Council members, um, first
[2:52:26] of all, I'd just like to say a special thank you to staff. They really have put in the time and effort
[2:52:30] at working this lease up. This isn't the last minute development that really
[2:52:34] put the time into it and it's gonna put us up to prove what we talk about. That
[2:52:38] we reach out to the community, that we serve the community, and we help bring the
[2:52:43] community in and give them access to the water. Um, we're
[2:52:47] gonna prove that to you when this lease is approved, please approve it. Now let
[2:52:51] us get on with the business of rejuvenating this crown jewel of alamedas bay
[2:52:55] so that we can continue providing all the programs everyone else is talking about. And a special thank
[2:52:59] you to all of you for your incredible patience. I don't know how you do it, . Thank
[2:53:04] you so much. Alright. Steve. Steve,
[2:53:09] I'm sorry. Steve. No, what's your name? Shannon. Shannon. Where's
[2:53:13] steve? Steve. Oh, I, I don't think he, okay. I think we take steve. Steve off.
[2:53:17] shannon, you're up. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening.
[2:53:21] mary richardson, members of the city council, city manager moca,
[2:53:26] bo martinez, mary torres, and the rest of the city staff. My name's shannon gallagher
[2:53:30] and I'm here to speak in support of the extension of the club's lease from the city.
[2:53:34] this project is important. It's important to the city
[2:53:38] so that we have the best representation of what the city is not only for the
[2:53:43] olympics, although that's important, but also for decades to come.
[2:53:47] it's also important to the community because the club will be providing on an annual basis
[2:53:51] hundreds of thousands of dollars of community benefits and on over
[2:53:55] the term of the lease, millions of dollars of community benefits. We anticipate
[2:54:00] once we get the program up and running, once the clubhouse is done, that uh, it'll
[2:54:04] be a minimum of $180,000 a year of community benefits and could be as much
[2:54:08] as $320,000 once fully implemented. Um,
[2:54:12] it's important to our community labor forces, both in terms of providing jobs
[2:54:16] in connection with the construction of the project, but also on an ongoing basis
[2:54:20] once the clubhouse is done, because we'll have more space and we'll need more employees.
[2:54:25] and it's important to the yacht club so that we can remodel our 65-year-old
[2:54:30] clubhouse and have it available for the next 65 years
[2:54:34] and for future olympics as well. But we can't do this without
[2:54:39] an extension of the lease. Uh, the club is committing to providing
[2:54:43] significant community benefits and we take it very seriously.
[2:54:47] if there's other pro uh, programs that we have not addressed yet, we're committed
[2:54:51] to working with, uh, economic development to address what those
[2:54:55] needs are and we look forward to doing that. I encourage you to vote in favor of the
[2:54:59] proposal. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, next is jonah,
[2:55:08] honorable mayor and council. My name is jonah breslow and I'm
[2:55:12] here on behalf of unite here, local 11. We respectfully ask
[2:55:16] that you continue this item to allow for additional consideration.
[2:55:21] our public land should be used to deliver clear and measurable
[2:55:25] public benefits. If the city is considering rent
[2:55:29] offsets of this scale and for this length, for a yacht club.
[2:55:34] we must structure the lease to ensure it provides meaningful value to all
[2:55:38] residents. The proposed lease contemplates rent offsets of
[2:55:42] up to 90% of fair market rent. We must consider other
[2:55:46] offsets directed to wages or healthcare payments for workers at
[2:55:50] the long beach yacht club. Investments in worker compensation and healthcare
[2:55:55] produce ongoing public benefits, including more stable
[2:55:59] employment, reduced reliance on taxpayer funded public assistance
[2:56:03] and higher quality services, while still fitting within the leases
[2:56:08] existing community benefit rent offset framework. The city has already
[2:56:13] recognized this principle by using its role as a proprietor of other
[2:56:17] publicly owned facilities to address similar issues. Please
[2:56:21] continue this item to allow for further considerations
[2:56:26] of these rent offsets. Thank you. Thank you. Alright,
[2:56:30] josh, before you go, I'm gonna call the next, uh, tra of speakers.
[2:56:34] so after josh is veronica, after veronica is anthony,
[2:56:39] uh, lindsay wynn. Mary dw
[2:56:43] ro, f-a-I-r-o-z, beri, b-e-h-I-r-I,
[2:56:48] uh, peter alvarez, alex cherin, jeff hoffman, kathleen adams,
[2:56:53] and reverend maryann. Okay, josh, you're up.
[2:56:58] thank you. And good evening, honorable mayor, city council. My name is josh de leon. I
[2:57:02] am the interim director for long beach for just economy at lane. And our, our core ask
[2:57:06] here is to continue, uh, this motion until staff can evaluate and include support
[2:57:10] for wage benefits for the workers of the club. And, and I wanna be clear, uh,
[2:57:14] we're not calling for a hard no on this, uh, renovation project, right? Uh,
[2:57:19] we want projects built by local unions. We want our fellow residents to find
[2:57:23] community, uh, in these historic spaces like, uh, the yacht club. This is not
[2:57:27] incompatible with what has been shared already, but really what we want to make sure is
[2:57:31] that the essential stakeholder missing this proposal, the workers
[2:57:35] who staff it are protected too. Here's what we mean by this. There are
[2:57:39] 90% offsets from the market based rent for this agreement. Uh, that's
[2:57:43] a great deal for the yacht club. But within this deal, what we wanna see is that the workers
[2:57:47] themselves also get some sort of wage, uh, more health benefit,
[2:57:52] uh, explored by the city. So we can ensure that the city as a proprietor of public land
[2:57:56] is raising the standard for living wages and proper benefits for all the
[2:58:01] workers who then operate in this, right? It is a privilege for private entities to
[2:58:05] be on public land. And I want our workers who will be there, who make it possible, uh,
[2:58:09] who do the daily work to make the club flourish, uh, to be able to benefit and flourish
[2:58:13] themselves, right? And so let's, let's take a little bit of time to study that. Let's make
[2:58:17] it 10% better, 20% better, and ensure that all of our community members, the
[2:58:21] workers who are not in this deal right now, get included and then let's move this forward. Thank you.
[2:58:26] thank you. Alright. Next is veronica. After
[2:58:30] veronica is anthony. Good evening, mayor
[2:58:34] and council. My name is veronica lawrence. I've enjoyed working at the long beach
[2:58:38] chocolate for 20 years. I am, I wanted to be here.
[2:58:42] so it was clear that workers should be considered in
[2:58:46] decisions that are made by the city council today. Thank you very much.
[2:58:51] thank you. Next is anthony. And then lindsey.
[2:58:56] got to do mayor, mayor, and city council. My name's anthony lawrence. I work at the long beach yacht club and
[2:59:00] I'm also a student at cal state long beach. I am here today to acknowledge that workers
[2:59:05] are directly affected by decisions made by this facility, and we hope that employees are
[2:59:09] being considered. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next is lindsey
[2:59:13] and then mary. Good evening mayor and city council.
[2:59:17] I am lindsay. I've been working at the long beach yacht club for about seven years, and I
[2:59:21] just wanna be here and to observe and let it known that the workers'
[2:59:26] community is affected by the city council decisions.
[2:59:30] thank you. Alright, mayor
[2:59:34] mary and then ro. Good evening, honorable mayor and council members.
[2:59:39] my name is reverend mary yung. I am the labor program
[2:59:43] director at crew clergy and laity united for economic justice. And I'm here
[2:59:47] to respectfully ask you to slow down the decision and, uh, give
[2:59:51] time for more thorough study and discussion. Uh, many members of the
[2:59:55] long beach yacht club are members of long beach congregations, working with crew
[2:59:59] to advocate for the dignity of our community, including workers and
[3:00:04] immigrants. And so we deeply be concerned about this proposed lease extension
[3:00:08] because it does not provide competitive financial investments
[3:00:12] in our city for the next 65 years. And most long beach residents
[3:00:16] never step on that, uh, on this yacht club property because it's inclusive
[3:00:21] to upper class community and really not accessible to our working class
[3:00:25] families. And so we wanna make sure that lease is a public land should
[3:00:29] come with guaranteed public benefits, not ac not accounting
[3:00:33] maneuvers that reduce rent own. And the structure right now prioritizes
[3:00:38] a private club over our public interest. And so, uh, we
[3:00:42] asking that you would, um, make a thought, um, make
[3:00:46] tam to look into, uh, this discussion because
[3:00:50] responsible stewardship of resources for the good of the whole community
[3:00:54] is a high value in every faith and spiritual tradition. And you have
[3:00:58] the privilege and responsibility to steward our public lens for the good
[3:01:02] of our community. And so I urge you to slow down and to
[3:01:07] continue this item for thorough discussion. And thank you for your leadership. Thank
[3:01:11] you so much. Next is ros and then peter.
[3:01:17] um, I'm actually, uh, from, um, district two and also
[3:01:21] a leader of long beach islamic center, um, bar of blue, uh, justice.
[3:01:26] I'm actually here because I'm very concerned about the long beach yacht club, um,
[3:01:30] amendment that's being described as a good financial deal, which is,
[3:01:34] I don't think so because it's actually dealing with it
[3:01:38] to 2091, which is more than six decades
[3:01:42] from now. And I don't think a lot of us will be alive. So,
[3:01:46] um, taking, uh, responsibility of taking a a
[3:01:50] decision for this generation in our faith tradition, we are thought
[3:01:55] that every, everything we hold and trust land money and power
[3:01:59] is an amana, which is, um, sacred responsibility. We are
[3:02:03] not owners in the absolute sense. We are, uh, caretakers
[3:02:08] on behalf, on god and behalf on future generation and
[3:02:12] actually our islam teacher that we will be held con
[3:02:17] accountable. I'm tired of waiting, I'm so sorry, , but for what we
[3:02:21] protect when public land is interested, interested
[3:02:26] to us, and we are morally obligated to ensure
[3:02:31] it serve the broader communities, especially those who come after
[3:02:35] us. So decision is very difficult to take a decision in behalf of
[3:02:39] our next generation. And thank you so much for listening to me. Thank you
[3:02:43] so much. Alright. Uh, next is peter.
[3:02:48] is peter here? Okay. Peter. And then after peter is alex.
[3:02:54] hello, my name is pete. Um, I live here in long beach. It seems
[3:02:58] everyone always worries about the companies themselves and not about the workers. Um,
[3:03:02] I was wondering why we're rushing to make this decision while we aren't against
[3:03:07] the idea. The lease itself, the existing lease doesn't expire until
[3:03:11] 2050, which is in 24 years. And yet we're being asked to extend it
[3:03:15] for the next six decades. Um, it's
[3:03:19] an important decision for the community as a whole. We ask that you please continue this
[3:03:23] item and allow full consideration of the consequences of this decision. Thank you.
[3:03:27] thank you so much. Alright, alex and
[3:03:31] then jeff. Thank you mr. Mayor members, the city council. I, I first wanna start
[3:03:36] off by thanking staff for the nearly four years of work that has gone
[3:03:40] into this project. Uh, we're very proud of the project, which is approved by
[3:03:44] both your planning commission and the california coastal commission. We're
[3:03:48] proud of the community outreach we've done over the last four years, including over two dozen meetings
[3:03:52] with community groups and constituents. We're proud of the community benefits
[3:03:56] we've worked on in collaboration with the city coastal staff, community organizations,
[3:04:01] and nonprofits. We're proud that this community benefit package is a living
[3:04:05] breathing document. As lisa mentioned, it allows programs to be swapped out
[3:04:09] if they're not providing the intended economic benefit. And we look forward to our pledge
[3:04:13] of working with each council office to make sure that there is equity among
[3:04:17] the districts for purposes of this community benefit package. We're proud of the community
[3:04:22] room that will be built as a result so that nonprofits like children today,
[3:04:26] uh, can use them and neighborhood groups as well. We're proud of our una partners
[3:04:31] who waited eight hours at the california coastal commission to testify in support of this
[3:04:35] project and, and it might add,
[3:04:39] ate some pretty bad pizza on the lunch break. So thank you guys for putting up with that.
[3:04:43] we're proud of our track record with unite here who have represented our
[3:04:48] employees for nearly three decades. And as mentioned to you earlier, we have a successful
[3:04:52] record of negotiating every contract with them. This current collective
[3:04:56] bargaining agreement will be no different. We're proud that if approved tonight, the
[3:05:00] lease extension will serve as the final conduit to allow construction before the 2028
[3:05:05] games. Thank you very much. Thank you so much.
[3:05:09] alright. Uh, jeff, before you go, I'm gonna call the next, uh, tra
[3:05:13] of names. Okay. So it'll be jeff and kathleen, reverend maryann,
[3:05:18] lana farhan. If you heard your name, please make your way to the front. Uh, alexander mendoza,
[3:05:23] anthony h sean ot, juanna melara, and
[3:05:27] betty alvarez. All right. You are up. Jeff . Okay.
[3:05:31] thank you. Honorable mayor, members of the city council. Happy to be here.
[3:05:36] you know, this, this has been, I think, a really interesting council meeting because
[3:05:40] of really focusing on the cultural heritage of our city.
[3:05:44] I mean, vip records talking about our music history, even
[3:05:48] going all the way back to the municipal band. But, you know, our name is long beach
[3:05:53] and we're about the water and a lot of things happened on the water. And the long beach yacht
[3:05:57] club is really focused on that 97 years as part of
[3:06:01] this city. So, uh, we're, I'm really passionate about
[3:06:05] the work that we wanna do leading up to the olympics. I just wanna
[3:06:10] read a couple of paragraphs out of a letter that our immediate past
[3:06:14] commodore lisa meyer sent to all of you today. The timing
[3:06:18] of the lease extension is essential to the viability of the modernization
[3:06:22] project as a whole. Simply stated, without this
[3:06:27] lease extension, the project will not happen. Simply
[3:06:31] any delay or continuance in the lease approval process will seriously
[3:06:35] jeopardize the financial feasibility of the project in order to meet
[3:06:39] the 2028 summer olympic deadline.
[3:06:44] so, just wanted to reinforce that one fact that the clock
[3:06:48] is ticking. We're looking forward to welcoming the world in 2028,
[3:06:53] and as of six days ago, we're now 2026. So let's
[3:06:57] approve this tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Alright,
[3:07:01] kathleen, you're up, kathleen.
[3:07:05] hello. Happy new year and so good to see you. Happy new year to you. And y'all look in
[3:07:09] good health except, and the one that isn't. I hope you feel better. Um,
[3:07:14] I'm here to, I sent a letter to darrell . I can leave a copy
[3:07:18] here for the clerk. Um, just for record,
[3:07:23] um, I asked that we pause on this and take time to review
[3:07:27] and understand the impact. What was missing at presentation that I looked at today?
[3:07:31] uh, I have a engineering background with c-s-u-l-b and
[3:07:36] there's no, I didn't see how it benefits the public.
[3:07:41] I see how it benefits the private members, but I don't see the,
[3:07:45] so can you come back and add, there's girls and boys club.
[3:07:49] there's gonna be open sessions that are available to the public
[3:07:53] for education. Um, there's partnerships with cal state
[3:07:57] long beach where people can learn how to sail. And frankly, it's
[3:08:01] the first time I looked at the website. I, I didn't, I've learned of two, there's
[3:08:06] two things I know about this yacht club. You have to be a member and there's
[3:08:10] fireworks and, um, there's a boat parade, which I've heard is really awesome.
[3:08:14] so I'd like to see that it get past, say next week with a 10 years
[3:08:18] rent lease, not 60. Um, that way you can reassess
[3:08:22] after the olympics and maybe the deal will should
[3:08:27] change appropriately. Rent increase held for four years, not five. So that
[3:08:31] when the city council changes that they can give input and credit
[3:08:35] only for use, not as a block credit. Thank you for updating the presentation
[3:08:40] and bringing it back. Thank you so much. Alright, next is reverend maryanne,
[3:08:44] then lana farhan fan.
[3:08:56] reverend maryanne. Yes. Hi, my name is garrett montoya.
[3:09:00] I'm with unite here, local 11. Um, maryanne had to leave early, so
[3:09:04] I'm, she asked that I read this. That's fine statement. You guys waiting a long time. Go for it. Alright. Good
[3:09:08] evening. Um, mayor richardson and council members, my name is
[3:09:12] reverend maryanne pickard. I'm the senior pastor of lakewood u united methodist
[3:09:16] church and a resident of district four. I'm also a member of clue
[3:09:21] clergy and laity united for economic justice. I'm here to urge
[3:09:25] you to continue this item for further discussion and to slow down the important
[3:09:29] decision so that the staff can evaluate the rent offsets proposed
[3:09:33] in the the lease. The current lease does not expire until 2050,
[3:09:38] yet the city is being asked now to extend it all the way to 2091.
[3:09:43] that is 65 years from today. That raises the simple questions,
[3:09:48] why rush and why 65 years? To make such a
[3:09:52] long time commitment, we need to do a thorough study and assessment on the impact of
[3:09:56] this proposed lease extension on our lb community. This
[3:10:01] property sits on our coastline, yet this agreement expands a private club while
[3:10:05] offering very limited community benefits. Many residents will never step foot inside this
[3:10:09] facility, yet we are asked to give up control of land until nearly the end
[3:10:13] of the century. Public coastal land should maximize public access,
[3:10:18] not entrenched exclusivity. Leases of public land should come with
[3:10:22] guaranteed public benefits, generate real value, not paper rent that disappears
[3:10:27] through offsets. As a faith leader, I believe in our interconnections,
[3:10:31] the wellbeing of, of community, and the thriving of business. However,
[3:10:35] the proposed lease prioritizes a private club over community benefits
[3:10:40] instead of showing mutual investments in long beach residents and workers. Sir, your time's
[3:10:44] concluded. Alright, thank you. Thank you.
[3:10:48] alright, next is lana. And then alexander. Is lana here?
[3:10:52] no. No. How about a alexander? Okay, how about anthony? Are
[3:10:57] you alexander? Yes. Okay. After alexander is anthony.
[3:11:02] hello. Good evening. Uh, hello. My name is alex. I work at the long beach conference
[3:11:06] center and I agreed you to continue this item. If rental
[3:11:11] set are being considered for use or the community room,
[3:11:15] whether it's use or not, why not consider offsets
[3:11:19] for increased wages and healthcare benefits for the workers? Long beach? Long
[3:11:23] beach has already tooken actions to support work self resilience
[3:11:27] for workers like me at the long, at the long beach convention center and
[3:11:31] airport rent offsets can also be used to promote
[3:11:35] workers self resilience. The proposal also supports the
[3:11:40] operator of the state site by offsetting the potential
[3:11:45] al cost. It's a win win win. Please continue this item. The city
[3:11:49] can consider all, all this options. Thank you. Thank you.
[3:11:54] next is anthony and then sean.
[3:11:58] is anthony here? That's juan.
[3:12:02] I have juan on the list already. Yeah. Okay. Juana, you can go now.
[3:12:06] okay. Good evening mayor. Um, richardson in city council.
[3:12:11] my name is juana mal. I work here in the city of long beach.
[3:12:16] I urge you to, you vote continue on the proposed
[3:12:20] list extension for the long beach yacht club.
[3:12:24] this deal will lock up publicly on land until 2091,
[3:12:31] more than six dec decades from now. That's a might long time.
[3:12:36] I don't, I don't oppose to the lease extension in pre principle,
[3:12:41] but no city council today can predict what
[3:12:45] long beach will need in the future. This should be no
[3:12:49] rush here. The list doesn't expire until 2050.
[3:12:54] please continue deciding and where to improve this list.
[3:12:59] thank you. Thank you wana. Alright,
[3:13:03] I'm gonna read the rest of the names if you're here. Come forward. Anthony h sean,
[3:13:07] ot and beverly, uh, excuse me, betty alvarez.
[3:13:13] hello. Good evening, mayor and council. Uh, my name is anthony. Um,
[3:13:17] I'm a long beach young yacht club employee of 12 years. Um,
[3:13:22] I'm just here to kind of reiterate what all of our, uh, employees that work there say,
[3:13:26] um, that those us that worked there at the yacht club, some of us
[3:13:30] multiple decades, 10, 20, 30 plus years,
[3:13:34] um, we feel that we do matter when decisions like this are being made. So we just wanna
[3:13:39] please be mindful and considerate of us as well when you're making these decisions. Thank you.
[3:13:45] thank you so much. Uh, sean. Sean,
[3:13:50] I'm assuming you're sean. You don't look like betty . I'll be sean. Okay. All right. Uh,
[3:13:54] sean ote, long beach, native poly graduate, and current belmont
[3:13:59] shore resident. Uh, I'm here in support of the long beach yacht club lease renewal.
[3:14:03] but I'd like to go a little off script here and, uh, just marvel for a
[3:14:07] second at the big picture represented here tonight. Uh, I want to thank everybody
[3:14:11] in the room because, you know, we're here to voice our opinions and show
[3:14:16] our civic duty about, you know, we matter when we bring things up
[3:14:20] and listening to the items on tonight's docket. I'm excited to
[3:14:24] see all of the forward thinking that this group is brought to the table.
[3:14:29] the waterfront amphitheater venue, the long beach municipal band was mentioned,
[3:14:34] vip records park, the kiosks, and now the renovation and
[3:14:38] lease extension for the historic long beach chalk club. All
[3:14:42] fantastic projects, all forward thinking. So thank you for
[3:14:46] me and my family for all that you do to build a better and stronger
[3:14:50] community here in long beach. Appreciate it. Thank you so much.
[3:14:54] alright, our final speaker is betty
[3:15:02] ola ez.
[3:15:54] hello, my name is betty alvarez. I'm here mostly to ask you to hold on
[3:15:58] this item for a few weeks. This is a lease that will be in place for
[3:16:02] the next 65 years. There are many reductions in rent for the company here.
[3:16:07] shouldn't we take some time to think through the community benefits and
[3:16:11] associated offsets in rent for things like wages and healthcare?
[3:16:16] please take time to fully study this before you make this decision, which
[3:16:20] is an important decision for all of long beach. Thank you.
[3:16:25] right. I wanna thank, uh, everyone for
[3:16:29] coming out and, um, and their public comment. And we're now gonna take it back,
[3:16:33] uh, behind the dais. Uh, I wanna recognize just all the different
[3:16:38] voices we've had. A lot of people have waited a long time tonight,
[3:16:42] uh, and for a long time just on this project. And, uh,
[3:16:46] and different voices. And sometimes those voices don't necessarily agree. Uh,
[3:16:50] but I am encouraged to see folks that I've known advocate for different things
[3:16:54] across the city for many years. Uh, I know you all care about our city and
[3:16:58] you love our city, and my hope is that you, you know, you find a way to answer
[3:17:02] some of the 12 tough questions that were asked tonight. So I know there's gonna be some
[3:17:07] important questions. The council has a lot of questions, so we're gonna jump right into it. We're gonna start
[3:17:11] with, um, uh, council member duggan.
[3:17:18] all right. Thank you mayor. And I wanna echo
[3:17:22] the mayor's thanks and one of our la uh, last speakers who talked
[3:17:26] about how many great projects came to the table tonight
[3:17:31] and how important it is for all of you to be here so we can hear
[3:17:35] your thoughts about things that are coming to our city. So thank you for
[3:17:40] being here. Um,
[3:17:44] economic development and community development teams have spent
[3:17:49] years on this. I so appreciate all the work that has gone
[3:17:53] into this project. Um, you've worked with members of the long, long beach yacht
[3:17:57] club. You've worked with the coastal commission.
[3:18:02] this to reach an agreement that meaningfully expands
[3:18:06] community benefit at this facility. That is our
[3:18:10] goal. When I was first elected, one of the first things that we did
[3:18:14] was take a close look at the tidelands fund.
[3:18:18] as many of you know, revenues generated from these facilities
[3:18:23] are consistent with the public trust and must be spent within
[3:18:27] the tidelands. Historically, when the city was generating
[3:18:31] significant revenue from oil lease revenue wasn't a pri
[3:18:35] wasn't prioritized. And many of the
[3:18:39] leases that we inherited reflected that
[3:18:44] as those conditions change, though they've changed. Right now,
[3:18:48] it has become clear that several of these agreements no longer reflect the
[3:18:53] true value of our public assets. Over the
[3:18:57] past three years, we've been working to renegotiate several
[3:19:01] tidelands leases to better reflect today's market conditions.
[3:19:06] when I reviewed the lease for the long beach yacht club,
[3:19:10] I saw that the agreement included no formal
[3:19:15] community benefit, and it currently runs through 2051.
[3:19:19] it currently offers no community benefit. That is
[3:19:24] the deal that we are looking at today, a lease
[3:19:28] that includes community ben benefit.
[3:19:32] when this project opened up the opportunity to reopen
[3:19:37] the lease, I wanted to support renegotiation to
[3:19:41] bring forward a formal community benefit package
[3:19:45] 25 years earlier than expected.
[3:19:52] it's really important to note that the $200,000
[3:19:56] annual rent that's proposed, that is not arbitrary.
[3:20:01] that amount was determined using as was shared in
[3:20:05] the presentation, established, established methodology
[3:20:09] based on real estate principles and assessment of a fair
[3:20:13] market value. $200,000. This community
[3:20:17] benefit package and lease renegotiation began more than four years
[3:20:22] ago prior to my time on council. But since
[3:20:26] then, I've continued to work on this effort because of the importance
[3:20:30] of community benefit.
[3:20:34] there have been dozens of iterations with
[3:20:39] the coastal commission. We all know the coastal commission,
[3:20:43] who is well known for holding firm on expanding
[3:20:47] public access across the coast. Throughout
[3:20:51] that process, I was encouraged to hear so
[3:20:55] many club members expanding access.
[3:20:59] while I'm not a member of the yacht club, I'm glad the broader community
[3:21:03] will now gain access under this agreement, rather than waiting until
[3:21:07] 2050 to even begin consideration
[3:21:11] of community benefit. This agreement also leverages private investment
[3:21:16] to provide a community accessible space in naples,
[3:21:21] short of the city building and operating a community center.
[3:21:26] and we know how long that takes and how much it takes.
[3:21:30] this would require upfront capital and hundreds of thousands
[3:21:34] of dollars per year in operating expenses. This
[3:21:39] agreement gives residents access to waterfront space
[3:21:43] for classes, meetings, and public programs
[3:21:47] provided by community groups and nonprofits from across long beach.
[3:21:53] this project has taken much longer than expected to get through the coastal commission.
[3:21:58] we heard the import of getting this approved
[3:22:02] so they can get construction going so they can get it
[3:22:06] done before la 28 or by la 28.
[3:22:10] this is a deadline and we can't have the facility under
[3:22:15] construction during the games. The long beach yacht club
[3:22:19] has played an important role in the olympics.
[3:22:24] in the preparation of the olympics, they help to lead the effort
[3:22:29] to keep olympic sailing events in long beach. They
[3:22:33] serve yearly as liaisons with international teams
[3:22:37] and consistently provide support to visiting delegations.
[3:22:43] I understand, and we're hearing that there's a request to delay this approval
[3:22:48] in order to renegotiate the community benefits package.
[3:22:53] I also, we've heard that unite here is asking
[3:22:57] to allocate a portion of the community benefit classes,
[3:23:03] stem programs, uh, swim classes,
[3:23:08] move that towards wages and healthcare.
[3:23:13] I have a really hard time supporting that approach because
[3:23:17] over the past three years, I have been working to expand
[3:23:21] public access to facilities like this. After decades
[3:23:26] of limited access, I don't believe that employee compensation
[3:23:30] should come out of ben benefit packages.
[3:23:36] labor negotiations are the appropriate forum to address
[3:23:40] compensation and benefits, and that process is
[3:23:44] currently underway and should remain separate from these public use
[3:23:48] funds. Couple of concerns I wanna address.
[3:23:52] I've heard concerns about how 600 hours of community access,
[3:23:57] asking how it's going to be managed. Let's be clear.
[3:24:02] this is going to be overseen by the city and not
[3:24:06] by the yacht club. I believe these hours must
[3:24:10] be transparent. They have to be programmed,
[3:24:15] programmed equitably. And I'm committed to work with my council
[3:24:19] colleagues and economic development department to build a system that
[3:24:23] reflects those values. And that means creating clear guidelines,
[3:24:28] asking for input citywide and centering community
[3:24:32] needs from across long beach, especially those who have historically
[3:24:36] lacked access to these kinds of waterfront spaces.
[3:24:41] this is a city controlled public benefit and it must be treated that way from
[3:24:45] day one. I'd like to ask economic development, uh,
[3:24:49] maybe mary torres about specific programs. Could
[3:24:54] you share some of the specifics? We heard that from people asking, they didn't understand
[3:24:58] what was gonna be offered by those community benefit
[3:25:03] hours. Can I ask for clarification
[3:25:07] on the community benefit hours? Are you speaking about the room or about the other programs that they would be
[3:25:12] able to take as credit? I'd like to hear everything. Let's talk about the room to start. Sure. I mean, a community
[3:25:16] room, let me give my thoughts on it and you can clarify it.
[3:25:21] uh, the community room was discussed three years ago as something
[3:25:25] that all of us as council members across the city could use
[3:25:30] if we wanted to have meetings there. This is where, um,
[3:25:34] schools could say, I'd like to book the room for class.
[3:25:39] uh, can you explain a little more about the community room? Sure. That's exactly what
[3:25:43] the room is intended for. So it's not only for city use. We have city programs that
[3:25:47] have training classes, that have, um, you know, we have workforce, uh,
[3:25:52] training that we can have there. Council, um, offices can have meetings there.
[3:25:56] um, they would be open to our partners to community groups in the neighborhood
[3:26:00] to reserve that if they have a a, a board meeting or a public
[3:26:04] meeting that they'd like to have. So it, it is open for use by either city
[3:26:08] or, um, community group and public neighborhood
[3:26:13] associations. Neighborhood associations. Perfect. That
[3:26:17] is a great description of our community room.
[3:26:21] that a community room that the, the yacht club is building
[3:26:25] specifically for this benefit. Can you talk about some of the programs,
[3:26:30] please? Sure. So the, um, with the renovations at the facility,
[3:26:34] um, in addition to the community room, um, they will have rooms that will be
[3:26:38] designated for, uh, programs like regional sailing and aquatic nonprofits,
[3:26:42] um, such as the long beach sailing foundation. Um, there'll be a meeting space
[3:26:47] for public informational meetings, for example, they have a large dining room on the premises that
[3:26:51] could be available for city council meeting if we opted to have that. Um,
[3:26:55] they have the pool for public a, uh, public education. There
[3:26:59] is a safety at c course that's taught over two days. That's both, um, in the
[3:27:04] classroom and on and in the water. So they offer, um, that that
[3:27:08] program there is the stem stem sailing that's been discussed. Um,
[3:27:13] there are, um, the heroes, tto,
[3:27:17] which I think a member of the public had mentioned, um, supporting the police,
[3:27:21] fire, army, navy, marines, um, and hosting, you know, their
[3:27:25] supporting them. There's a sea gals program that's offered two to three times during
[3:27:30] the summer that's designed and taught by women for women, um, to allow
[3:27:34] them an opportunity to sail. Uh, there's the panther at seas program, which I mentioned,
[3:27:38] which is for, uh, students at jordan high school. There's, uh, the year-round
[3:27:42] sailing program that they offer scholarships, the junior, junior skipper memberships
[3:27:46] for, uh, non-members. Um, there is the long beach, um, the
[3:27:51] local high school sailing teams, which a member of the public had mentioned. Uh, camp corinthian
[3:27:55] is, um, for five to 12 year olds, um, to,
[3:27:59] to, um, games and activities that help, um, in,
[3:28:04] uh, introduce them to the sailing and to different activities
[3:28:08] in the water. Um, they do, they host, host blood drives regularly.
[3:28:12] um, there's swim scholarships and sailing scholarships that were mentioned.
[3:28:16] um, and that's just a, a, a sample
[3:28:21] of what's on the menu. But again, the, uh, programs that are offered can be added.
[3:28:25] um, shannon had mentioned that, um, we're expecting, or they're
[3:28:30] expecting to be able to hit the 80, uh, the 90% credit on the rent.
[3:28:34] um, but they are likely to go over that just given the, the frequency of
[3:28:38] some of these things that are provided. That's great. Thanks for that
[3:28:42] description. Um, I think this is a chance for
[3:28:46] us to bring meaningful public access to this site, and
[3:28:51] not a century from now, but right now, um,
[3:28:56] delaying this project only risks losing community community
[3:29:00] benefit. We've worked very hard to secure. So I'm asking
[3:29:04] my council colleagues to approve this agreement tonight. So
[3:29:08] you want generations of long beach residents to finally share in the use
[3:29:12] of space that has been out of reach for far too long.
[3:29:17] thank you. All right. Next is councilman rick sote. Uh, thank you mayor.
[3:29:21] um, and, uh, thank you, uh, councilman duggan. Uh, one of the questions you asked
[3:29:25] was actually my question. I think a lot of times when people see proformas and they see,
[3:29:29] uh, the kind of detailed financial kind of projections that we have here right around
[3:29:34] rents and offsets, right? Uh, those things kind of seem outta reach and
[3:29:38] unclear. So I think it's important for community members, right, that are here and residents
[3:29:42] to hear from us. Like, hey, how do we come up with those numbers? Like what are those offsets, right?
[3:29:46] what are those community benefits that make a deal like this makes sense from a
[3:29:50] financial standpoint, if that's not your, your, your background, right? I tell everybody that,
[3:29:54] uh, admittedly economic development is the area that I learned the most about,
[3:29:58] uh, as a council member, right? Because it's not necessarily something that, that people teach you. So,
[3:30:02] um, I really appreciated the line of questioning from councilwoman duggan. Um, and so
[3:30:07] I was hoping that we could go back to slide five. Um,
[3:30:11] um, uh, mary torres, and I know you went through
[3:30:15] kind of quickly what those, what the, the rent offsets were, but could you kinda walk
[3:30:19] the, can you walk us slowly through that? So I think that makes it a little bit more
[3:30:24] concrete, um, so that people understand what an office offset is and
[3:30:28] then how that makes up that 90%.
[3:30:35] yes. So, um, with the rent offsets, so, um, we work with
[3:30:40] the club to categorize the, the value of the public benefit. Oh, could
[3:30:44] we get the, could we get the slide up too? I just want you to talk us through it while people are looking at the bar. Sure.
[3:30:48] we've made that request to ti they're putting yeah, they're not in back. Okay, thank you.
[3:30:57] I can fill time. You want to ask a different question while sure. They're doing that. Um,
[3:31:01] oh, they got it. Oh, okay. Here we go. Thank you.
[3:31:05] so, um, on the 90% of the base rent that, um, they're eligible to credit,
[3:31:10] uh, we work with the, the yacht club to come up with what the market value is of
[3:31:14] that service or that program that's being provided, whether it's a scholarship or a
[3:31:18] date to see what that cost is. We do have a, a third party financial
[3:31:22] consultant that we run those values by and make sure that we
[3:31:26] confirm that that is the, the market essentially for that service
[3:31:31] or that program. And then, um, that is what is agreed
[3:31:35] upon, uh, for them to include in their report as a credit.
[3:31:39] understood. Now, the process that we go through using that third party assessing
[3:31:44] what's fair market, uh, fair market value for some of these, um, community benefits.
[3:31:48] are we doing something different here than we do with other city assets?
[3:31:52] is there something here that's unique that's different than what we would do anywhere else in the city?
[3:31:58] no, actually, um, we have other leases that have community benefit credits.
[3:32:02] um, there was a lease for the west health ece that was passed at council a
[3:32:06] few months ago. That includes credit. If there is, um,
[3:32:10] daycare that's provided below market or for free, um, then they are allowed
[3:32:14] to take that credit against their rent. Um, essentially providing a member of the
[3:32:19] public as a, you know, that benefit. Okay. So just, I just wanted to be clear for
[3:32:23] those watching right, that the way that we're applying our methodology here isn't any
[3:32:27] different than we would do with any other city facility where we are
[3:32:31] offering these types of credits credit. Correct. Okay. Um, and then my last question is, um, it
[3:32:35] sounded like people thought that the, the 65 year agreement was, was,
[3:32:39] was long. Can you kind of talk through the, the thought process around
[3:32:43] that agreement and again, kind of comparing it to how we, um,
[3:32:47] how we do these types of agreements across the city? Sure. So, um, I
[3:32:51] will say with the, there is a certain length of time that we're limited to in the tidelands
[3:32:56] area at 66 is the max that we can, we can go to, um, for
[3:33:00] a lease this, this extension, even though we're only requiring a minimum of $10 million investment,
[3:33:04] the, the cost of the construction will likely be double that. And so the yacht club
[3:33:08] is financing that. And a lot oftentimes lenders will require, uh,
[3:33:13] a longer term lease to be able to, um, be collateral for that financing.
[3:33:18] so that is one of the reasons for the longer runway. But we have worked in
[3:33:22] the, um, mechanism that if they don't meet, you know, the public benefit,
[3:33:26] then they pay the city the cash difference. Um, for that, if they,
[3:33:30] um, you know, any time of the year,
[3:33:34] the increase, you know, the rent does increase the, the value of the benefits
[3:33:39] increase accordingly. But, um, the, the time of the year is really for
[3:33:43] them to, to amortize their investment and to be able to secure the financing.
[3:33:47] okay. And then just , and if I can add one thing that's a little bit different, uh, council member here is in
[3:33:51] different than a private financing project where they own that person owns the land and
[3:33:55] they're gonna have that benefit and perpetuity here. Uh, basically it's a private
[3:33:59] group that is putting money into a city facility. So they raise the money,
[3:34:03] they spend the two, the $25 million, but that ultimately becomes a city asset
[3:34:08] at the end of the lease. And so, uh, it is fair then as they, as they're doing that
[3:34:12] investment, that we provide them some ability to use that investment for the purpose
[3:34:16] that it's intended to because ultimately it will become a city asset. Okay. Excellent.
[3:34:20] um, and then just one point of clarification. You used a big financial word amateurize
[3:34:25] at the end of your comments there. Uh, could you just clarify what that means?
[3:34:29] I will attempt to, so that really is the depreciation and it has to do with
[3:34:33] accounting. So when you invest in it, you're gonna take a certain amount of that
[3:34:38] asset depreciation over a year. And so it's really just a longer runway, um,
[3:34:42] when you're investing $20 million into a facility, as tom said, that
[3:34:46] is really a city asset at the end of the day. Okay. So we're gonna summarize that by saying,
[3:34:51] banks look at this and you need to have a long enough runway for be able to, to, for you to
[3:34:55] recruit the investment that you are putting into the facility. Exactly. And so that is, that goes into
[3:34:59] our decision making about the length of the term of the lease. Exactly. Excellent.
[3:35:03] thank you. And if I can clarify one thing that I said, 'cause you'll hear from the attorney later. So
[3:35:07] it actually is a private facility under the lease. So it is their facility that they put money
[3:35:11] into it, but ultimately when that lease ends, everything reverts back to the city. So you
[3:35:15] saw in the presentation that the deed and everything belongs to the city. So what during the
[3:35:19] time of the lease, it is a private facility that has private rights that they can do what they want
[3:35:24] with that facility, but at the end they give up that $25 million investment because the
[3:35:28] city it becomes then at the end, uh, back to the city. Correct.
[3:35:32] okay. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, uh,
[3:35:36] next speaker, council member thrash. Thank you, mayor. Um, so
[3:35:40] thank you for everyone who came out today and provide public comment, uh, on this
[3:35:45] matter. And thank you for your patience this evening. Um, this item
[3:35:49] before us regarding the long beach yacht club is an institution that has been
[3:35:53] a fixture on our waterfront for nearly a century. I wanna start by
[3:35:57] acknowledging the club's, uh, proposed private investment, which
[3:36:01] I believe represents a significant vote of confidence for our city's
[3:36:05] future. We've got, uh, we're preparing for the olympics, as some of you have
[3:36:09] said in 2028. And our coastal assets must and should
[3:36:13] reflect the worldcast world-class caliber that we expect and
[3:36:18] project that long beach is. But part of my responsibility is also
[3:36:22] to consider how we use public land and how
[3:36:26] we're ensuring that we're transparent and equitable in the use of this asset.
[3:36:30] so this commitment has been stated by my colleagues and several of you goes
[3:36:35] un until 2091. And I believe that that means that we've
[3:36:39] gotta make sure we've got a high level of public value. So, through my questions
[3:36:43] that I'll be asking tonight, I just wanna focus on, um, those
[3:36:47] programs and strategies to ensure that this resource
[3:36:51] will be accessible to all of long beach, especially north long beach where
[3:36:55] I represent, which is the furthest from the coastal zone. I was really heartened
[3:37:00] by the number of, uh, those who spoke in public comment, uh, talking
[3:37:04] about the importance of community benefit. And I wanna thank, uh, our councilwoman
[3:37:08] duggan as well for her comments and opening that up and the importance of
[3:37:12] ensuring that that is happening. So let me start with several of those questions.
[3:37:17] so first, uh, there's been a discussion that these negotiations,
[3:37:22] um, have been quick or rushed, but I have heard, uh, from
[3:37:26] my colleagues as well as, uh, it seems from the staff's presentation,
[3:37:30] this has been 2, 3, 4 years of negotiation with
[3:37:34] the long beach yacht club. Can you help me clarify what that number is?
[3:37:39] sure. Um, the project has been, um, around for, for
[3:37:43] two to three years, if not longer. I'm not sure exactly when the yacht club initiated it.
[3:37:47] I do know went to site plan review in 23. It went to planning commission
[3:37:51] in 24. Um, we have been in negotiations with them lockstep the
[3:37:56] whole way, um, working to make sure that whatever they were, um, proposing
[3:38:00] to, to construct at the site was, um, amenable to the city,
[3:38:04] but then also working on what that, what the terms in the negotiation
[3:38:08] look like. So two to three years that you've been at the table regarding
[3:38:12] the community benefits. Yeah. And, and if I can add, I think it started around from the yacht club's
[3:38:16] perspective around 2021, if I, if I recall right. Okay. Uh, and there was also a major public
[3:38:21] meeting last year at the coastal commission, many of which the people in this room on both sides,
[3:38:25] uh, were in attendance to, to be able to, uh, do that in front of the coastal commission.
[3:38:29] thank you for that. Um, we've already noted, and my colleague, uh, councilwoman,
[3:38:33] rick oti, um, asked the question that I wanted to make sure we got to regarding the
[3:38:37] length of the term, uh, and looking at 66 years from now, 2091
[3:38:42] and why that was so important. Um, so I wanna thank the, uh, city staff
[3:38:46] for walking through the importance of ensuring that this asset is something that the
[3:38:50] yacht club can leverage because it's a hundred percent finance privately.
[3:38:55] and in order to be able to attract the kind of private financing that's necessary, they
[3:38:59] will need to be able to show that level of control, uh, of the site through
[3:39:03] a long-term lease with the city. So now let's turn to, um,
[3:39:08] considering the 600 hours of priority use. Um,
[3:39:13] one of the things that I have been looking at or considering is that
[3:39:17] I, what about the fact that if we've got 600 hours, how do we make
[3:39:21] sure that we don't have one group that monopolizes
[3:39:25] uh, the use of the, uh, facility? So is there some
[3:39:29] way to make sure that there isn't one group that's going to get, you know, know 500 hours
[3:39:34] and not give other groups an opportunity to participate?
[3:39:38] yeah, I can try to address that. I think, um, adding onto what councilwoman duggan said,
[3:39:42] I think, uh, the priority over the next, uh, year or so while the construction is taking place,
[3:39:47] is coming up with those guidelines and the, and the process for,
[3:39:51] uh, reserving the space and how that gets approved and, and
[3:39:55] the usage to ensure that it is equitable. So, uh,
[3:39:59] as the maker of the motion, um, councilwoman duggan, one matter that I might
[3:40:03] come back to, and I don't know if it's needed as a friendly, um, is that much
[3:40:07] like some of the other city resources that we have, where there are council
[3:40:12] district specific opportunities to engage with that asset to ensure
[3:40:16] that all of the city is able to participate with that asset.
[3:40:20] we might consider, as we put forward the, um, regulations
[3:40:25] and the guardrails around the 600 hours that there might be some district specific opportunities,
[3:40:30] um, carved out for, uh, the entire city
[3:40:38] district specific is, um, I mean
[3:40:42] that would be fine. I think this is more about, um,
[3:40:47] getting input from all of you. I really, I, I think
[3:40:51] it's important that we do take the next year to make
[3:40:55] sure that there are accessible ways for everyone
[3:41:00] to, to use the yacht club and to bring,
[3:41:04] like between jordan cabrillo.
[3:41:09] um, we have so many high schools that there are opportunities
[3:41:13] that council members can be the point person to really round up
[3:41:17] a program and round up kids to bring them there. And that's what
[3:41:21] I imagine each of the council members being able to
[3:41:25] do. Okay. Um, so I, I don't, I mean, I'm fine with guardrails,
[3:41:30] but frankly, I, I use the yacht club sometimes for community
[3:41:34] meetings and we, in the third district, there are a
[3:41:38] lot of, um, programs that, that kids use.
[3:41:43] I'm, I'm happy to, to talk about that the next year is gonna be key in those guidelines.
[3:41:48] so that will be a recommendation that I, I'll make publicly here and continue to monitor
[3:41:52] as we continue to put forward those recommendations. Uh, then
[3:41:56] there's the issue of accountability. Um, so it appears that
[3:42:00] based on what we have in the agreement so far, there'll be an annual
[3:42:04] review of the use of the hours, um, to ensure that we meet
[3:42:08] or the yacht club meets the 600 hours and, and use in terms of
[3:42:12] community benefit. Um, and if that isn't met, that there is a cash payment,
[3:42:17] is that what I understand to make up for, uh, the difference if that community
[3:42:21] benefit does not equal the 600 hours? No.
[3:42:25] to clarify the 600 hours is, is the equivalent. That
[3:42:29] is what the $120,000 credit is for that they get. And the 600 hours
[3:42:33] is for the city to advertise plan schedule, and
[3:42:38] it's a use it or lose it. The 80, the 90% rent credit for
[3:42:42] the additional 80,000 or 60,000 that they would be,
[3:42:46] um, 'cause 20,000 will be cash, 120 will be credited. So there'll be 60,000
[3:42:51] left that they'll have to true up. And so they will have to provide a report of the
[3:42:55] programs and what they've provided in that amount of the $60,000.
[3:43:00] and if they don't, then they will need to pay the difference. They pay the difference in
[3:43:04] cash to the city. And does that roll over, let's say if the
[3:43:08] city decides to waive it and allow it to roll over the next year, would that be allowed?
[3:43:12] no, we're not allowing it. They have to spend it in that year. They have to either take their
[3:43:16] credit in the year or, um, or pay the cash. Okay. Great.
[3:43:21] all right. So then, um, my final area, or second to last area
[3:43:25] is related to outreach and accessibility. I was really, really pleased at
[3:43:29] the number of yacht club members who came up and shared, uh, the importance
[3:43:33] of ensuring that all of long beach has access, uh, to this resource.
[3:43:37] but I have to admit, with the list of the organizations that you listed,
[3:43:42] I worry that not very many of them have enough outreach and
[3:43:46] relationships across the entire city. So with
[3:43:50] that, um, as we look at, you know, the plans for how do we make
[3:43:54] sure that sailing the stem programs and other recreational programs
[3:43:58] that have been mentioned, if you are not associated with one of those
[3:44:03] nonprofit organizations, which is its own sort of, you
[3:44:07] know, distance from many folks in our community, how can we make
[3:44:11] sure that we have a strategy that includes, uh, various different
[3:44:15] kinds of organizations and connections, uh, so that everyone can access
[3:44:20] the yacht club? Excellent. Could I speak to that because
[3:44:24] I have suggestions? Yes. Yeah. Um, if you don't mind,
[3:44:28] um, this is where it's important. Every council member comes
[3:44:32] up with a nonprofit that can help with this.
[3:44:37] I personally started a nonprofit in 2014 and I went
[3:44:41] to poly, I went to korea, I went to jordan
[3:44:45] to get kids to come and learn to be on the water.
[3:44:50] I wanted to extend, um, the wetlands program,
[3:44:55] the classroom program to different council members. And I know I had mentioned
[3:44:59] it to council member joni zody. And
[3:45:03] what needs to happen is you all need to be educated on
[3:45:07] what is offered and then give input. Because
[3:45:11] the club, I believe that part of what the work that they're gonna do is
[3:45:16] reach out if you can connect them with other nonprofits, it's
[3:45:20] part of what they wanna do to offer their community benefits.
[3:45:24] so I think we're on the same page in terms of offering the input, which is what I was
[3:45:28] doing here today. Um, and suggesting that we wanna have a, a wider
[3:45:32] array of organizations that, um, are able to participate,
[3:45:37] uh, with the yacht club accordingly. And so some of the traditional,
[3:45:41] uh, terms around if you, if your organization is not already a water
[3:45:45] organization, how do you get connected? So that'll be the next step
[3:45:50] I think, in putting together that outreach plan. Absolutely. Input
[3:45:54] from council members is what I'm saying. I think that they can take input
[3:45:58] from each of you for nonprofits also and council member thrash and took,
[3:46:02] um, through these negotiations. We've had these conversations with the yacht club
[3:46:06] and I can tell you that they've been very open to making sure that it's not
[3:46:10] only diverse but equitable throughout the city when it comes to the myriad of
[3:46:14] and diverse menu of options that they have from a community benefit perspective. And
[3:46:19] it's really, uh, upon us to make sure that we're working in partnership every
[3:46:23] district throughout the city, every organization throughout the city, nonprofit, and
[3:46:27] educate and inform them on what those amenities and those benefits are to
[3:46:31] the community. And I'm sure the yacht yacht club will definitely be open to hearing those
[3:46:35] suggestions and ideas as well as we move forward. Yeah, and I would suggest that as we do this, we
[3:46:39] talk about kind of the areas of focus we'd like to, to look at rather
[3:46:43] than creating very specific metrics. 'cause today we're talking about this, but this is gonna be
[3:46:48] a lease that we have until 2091. So we need to be thoughtful about that. We might have different
[3:46:52] districts in the future. We might look completely different. So, uh, just to be mindful of that, I think
[3:46:56] the goal, and we hear it very clearly, is that if there are nonprofits or groups
[3:47:00] that want to come down to the yacht club and be a part of that, then we, uh, that it really should be open
[3:47:05] to the entire city and find some compromise on, on that. Yeah. And we even
[3:47:09] had a conversation we had of a, the long, long beach workforce innovation
[3:47:13] youth career services center, and a lot of those youth have not access
[3:47:17] to water access to organizations like the yacht club. And
[3:47:21] when I've sat down and spoke with them about that opportunities, they've all, they all said is, yes,
[3:47:26] let's, let's pursue that partnership. Wonderful. Well thank you for that.
[3:47:30] uh, and I just wanna say that I appreciate, uh, all of the workers who were out today.
[3:47:34] um, I'm pleased to know that the, uh, building will be built by unionized,
[3:47:39] uh, workers and that the building will be serviced by unionized workers,
[3:47:43] um, and look forward to ensuring that there is an opportunity for living
[3:47:48] wages and opportunities for workers within our city. Thank you.
[3:47:53] gotcha. Alright, thank you. Just, just a note,
[3:47:57] and I, I love the spirit of where this part of the conversation is going.
[3:48:02] I think of, you know, I kinda like the district districts being
[3:48:07] involved in the district knights idea. Uh, I wanna remind folks, none of this goes into effect
[3:48:11] until after it's built, right? So you have a little bit of a runway to shape some of this,
[3:48:15] right? Once you get the certificate right, that is, that it's
[3:48:19] complete, then these programs are going to effect, that's the way the lease is structured. The other piece,
[3:48:24] um, you know, we do district nights at the aquarium. We do district nights,
[3:48:28] you know, harbor cruises. It may not necessarily
[3:48:32] be a district night at the yacht club, but to be able to say,
[3:48:36] uh, to a nonprofit in your district or a school or, you know, I remember we
[3:48:40] were raising money to send the kids from jordan to carnegie hall, right?
[3:48:45] hey, we can put in a chit a free city use stay or something like that.
[3:48:49] uh, put in a request so that you can host your event, your fundraiser,
[3:48:53] whatever it is here, uh, at, at no cost. And it works toward their credit.
[3:48:57] those are the types of things that I think the council would like to be able to offer to their
[3:49:01] communities and ensure there is some engagement in all nine council
[3:49:05] districts. Absolutely. But I think the structure, the structure here allows for that.
[3:49:10] and so I think this is really about making sure we get that input staff
[3:49:14] gets that input and works with the yacht club to make sure that that's, that's included. Yeah, that's
[3:49:18] consistent. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Council member sorrow. Yes, thank you, mayor.
[3:49:22] um, I do wanna thank councilwoman duggan for ensuring that,
[3:49:27] um, there is a community benefits agreement in this
[3:49:31] lease. Um, you know, renewal. I, I did
[3:49:35] wanna, uh, first just kind of go and also my colleagues for your
[3:49:39] questions. It's helped me answer some of the ones that I was gonna ask as well.
[3:49:44] and obviously wanna thank all of you, labor members of yacht club,
[3:49:48] supporters of yacht club for being here to share your comments. Uh, I think
[3:49:52] it's adding to, I think, a really good conversation about exactly how
[3:49:56] do we, um, define public benefit or
[3:50:00] community benefits. And that's actually where I wanna go back to the basics
[3:50:05] because I hear community benefits thrown out there, public benefits
[3:50:09] thrown out there. Um, in the end of the day, this item is on a
[3:50:13] lease agreement. Is that correct? Correct.
[3:50:18] so when we're talking about lease agreement, what is the correct term?
[3:50:22] um, because this has been added at the request of councilwoman
[3:50:26] duggan, including the community benefit agreement in this new lease agreement, right?
[3:50:33] this is part of what the city requires for leases. Can someone
[3:50:38] find that that wasn't my request? Yeah. So this, this is something we started about
[3:50:42] probably 10 years ago, was, um, where we have hundreds of these leases that have been negotiated
[3:50:47] over the years. And so as they come up, we're looking at a different model where we
[3:50:51] say, instead of an old $1 a year lease, we actually memorialize that and
[3:50:55] say, here is what the full market value is. And then if we wanna negotiate
[3:50:59] community benefits into that, that is how we were doing it. So this is pretty standard with
[3:51:03] how we do our, uh, renewals of leases. Thanks for clarifying. But you
[3:51:07] were, were you made sure that it, I just wanted to clarify that you wanted to make sure to, uh,
[3:51:12] open the lease agreement discussion earlier that that was,
[3:51:16] uh, what you led on. Yes. Okay. I wanted to be part, I wanted to
[3:51:20] be part of that. I wanted to see what community benefit was offered.
[3:51:24] okay. And understand it a little more. Thank you for clarifying. So with that said,
[3:51:29] when we talk about public benefits, uh, when we talk about community
[3:51:33] benefits with respect to public lands, um, can
[3:51:37] you clarify what is generally included in that? Do we see
[3:51:42] wages and benefit as an item traditionally in
[3:51:46] contract contracts? No. Uh uh, we have never done that in
[3:51:50] any of our agreements in, in, because that really is kind of more of the private business operation
[3:51:55] of the entity that it is doing. So we don't normally interfere with what it is that
[3:51:59] it takes that nonprofit or business, uh, whatever it is to run their
[3:52:03] business. What we look for are things that we can offer the general public, not necessarily
[3:52:07] the, the business part of it. But then, uh, a lot of it comes in the form of, um,
[3:52:12] meeting space or, uh, for example, we've done a number of agreements with, you
[3:52:16] know, central cha, for example, on, uh, uh, or united cambodian community
[3:52:20] or different ones where we say, hey, if you provide, uh, this or conservation
[3:52:24] corps is a good one too, if you provide, uh, uh, uh, low or no
[3:52:29] cost, uh, um, programs to the community at large, then uh,
[3:52:33] you can get a rent credit as well. So, but we don't really deal with actual wages or
[3:52:37] benefits in any of the agreements that I'm aware of. Have you seen it in any other municipality
[3:52:46] you like me to? I, I'm happy to, uh, speak on that. Uh, council member adam jacobs,
[3:52:50] deputy city attorney, uh, typically that is not included. Um, it's, it's a legal
[3:52:54] issue under federal law. Um, city's municipalities are
[3:52:58] precluded from interfering with the, uh, bargaining of two private parties,
[3:53:03] uh, bargaining negotiations. So, uh, by dictating certain
[3:53:07] terms or, uh, wage requirements that would constitute interfering. So,
[3:53:11] um, cities and other municipalities are generally precluded from doing so.
[3:53:16] thank you for clarifying, because that's my next question is,
[3:53:20] um, there's been requests or consideration to,
[3:53:24] rather than doing rental offset for wages and benefit
[3:53:28] offset even if we wanted to as a council who have been very supportive
[3:53:32] of workers because we do believe that they are the backbone of our economy,
[3:53:37] even if we wanted to legally. Could we do that?
[3:53:42] uh, it's a great question. Council member. Um, go back to my initial
[3:53:46] response. It would put us a foul with, uh, federal law. The, uh, and
[3:53:50] I I do wanna clarify, there's nothing in the lease or the extension
[3:53:55] that prevents the yacht club from negotiating or entering into an agreement
[3:53:59] with its workers. They're completely free to do that. But as they are two private
[3:54:03] parties, uh, the city is prohibited from interfering with those,
[3:54:07] uh, bargaining negotiations. And it's a little bit different than when we
[3:54:11] have done this type of agreement that the council has supported of, of a labor peace agreement
[3:54:15] at major city facilities where city or their city run facilities,
[3:54:19] the airport and the convention center. And the argument there is that those are such
[3:54:24] huge ar um, um, you know, generators for the economy that if
[3:54:28] there were to be a, a labor strife, if those were not to be, uh, able to be working,
[3:54:32] then uh, there would be a huge, uh, economic impact to the city. That is not the
[3:54:36] case in this case with the yacht club. This is a private transaction that's there, there's not, it's
[3:54:40] not part of our economic underpinning. Uh, and so it is different and
[3:54:44] adam can talk to that if there's more questions. Thanks. That's actually was gonna be my next
[3:54:49] question, tom. I appreciate you answering it because I did want it to go back
[3:54:53] to, because we have done it, um, and I wanted to know what made it different. So thanks for
[3:54:57] answering that. Um, I have no further question.
[3:55:01] I, I think then, you know, I encourage, uh, the
[3:55:05] yacht club as well as, um, unite here to continue bargaining and good
[3:55:10] faith to ensuring that, um, you know, for the
[3:55:14] best outcome for workers. So thank you very much.
[3:55:18] council member kerr? Yes. Uh, thank you to the city team.
[3:55:22] um, so if this started four years ago, that was before I was on council. And so three years.
[3:55:26] I wanna thank councilman duggan for engaging in the process, uh, early.
[3:55:30] I wanna thank the lem, the members of the labor community who are here after a long day of work
[3:55:34] and before another long day of work in the morning. I'm really, um,
[3:55:39] grateful that you continue to be here to advocate and inform, um,
[3:55:43] this body on the work, um, that is important to you.
[3:55:47] um, I just wanna talk a little bit about community benefit. And we know, um,
[3:55:51] that community benefit takes real work. It isn't just about saying something is open
[3:55:55] or accessible to the public. It takes intentionality.
[3:55:59] um, I can speak to a program that I, um, helped start and support on
[3:56:03] the school board that had to do with getting young people who don't traditionally have access to
[3:56:08] the store and to the water. To the water. And that's the work that we did with the junior lifeguard program.
[3:56:12] and so for as much as we say we want students from all over the city to participate
[3:56:16] in these programs, that doesn't happen on accident. That happens with real intentionality.
[3:56:21] and it oftentimes happens with more than just a subsidy for tuition. It
[3:56:25] has to come sometimes with transportation. We realize that students wanted to participate,
[3:56:29] but they couldn't get there. So how do we provide a bus that gets in there to and from
[3:56:34] that they wanted extra sweatshirts that came in addition to the uniform. So in addition to the uniform, we
[3:56:38] paid for an extra sweatshirt that there has to be real work done. And I would encourage
[3:56:42] the community at the yacht club, um, to really, um, speak into
[3:56:46] the values that you talked about tonight with actions that will support that work.
[3:56:50] and so when you find students who want to be engaged because you happened
[3:56:55] to come across them somewhere in the community, that you follow up and you find out what
[3:56:59] the real barriers are to their participation in the excellent programming
[3:57:03] that you have for them, um, is it transportation? Is it more than
[3:57:07] just a subsidy? Um, it, it could be lots of things. And,
[3:57:11] and one of the things as we build this out over the next year, I would ask you to do, is to really
[3:57:15] keep data on it. One of the ways with the junior lifeguard program we looked at
[3:57:19] was participation across diverse zip codes. And so when we can
[3:57:24] say that some zip codes had zero and some zip codes had one, how five
[3:57:28] years later did that turn into seven or 15 or 23,
[3:57:32] what was the work that got that diverse group actually out to be engaged?
[3:57:36] and so I would ask you to take, to take care with the data you collect
[3:57:41] about our students too, that after a year or two or three, if it's
[3:57:45] not looking like you're reaching out to the community or that you're
[3:57:49] actually engaging the community, you say you wanna reach out to, you work with council offices,
[3:57:53] you work with the school district, work with the junior lifeguard program, and ask them how they
[3:57:58] did it. How did they build up that work? Because we know that there's models that work very
[3:58:02] specifically in here in long beach. And very specifically to students who don't always have access
[3:58:06] to the water, who desperately want access to the water. And I think you are all a great
[3:58:11] community vehicle to get them there. Um, and I look forward with my office to helping
[3:58:15] you do that, um, in any way that we can. Um,
[3:58:21] I urge the yacht club member, uh, management to bargain in
[3:58:25] very good faith. Your workers are here tonight, um, to express
[3:58:30] things that are important to them. So I urge you to bargaining, good faith to listen to your
[3:58:34] workers and work towards a just contract as you're actively working on your contract
[3:58:38] negotiations. Thank you. Alright,
[3:58:42] well, that concludes council discussion. Really good. Uh, discussion.
[3:58:47] good questions, good responses. Thank you. Um, to our, our economic development
[3:58:51] team, our city manager, our, uh, city attorney, uh, there's
[3:58:55] work to do. Um, over the next year, there's more shaping to
[3:58:59] do on the community benefits. We had some great ideas tonight. Uh, to the labor groups
[3:59:04] who have feedback on those community benefits, bring 'em to the table. Uh,
[3:59:08] feel free to engage with the yacht club, engage with the council members if you have ideas there.
[3:59:12] uh, but most importantly, as we head into 2028,
[3:59:17] this will be a moment for our city. And we're, we're taking a lot
[3:59:21] of steps, uh, to make sure that we show up the right way in our city.
[3:59:25] uh, we were the first city to establish an olympic wage at our convention center
[3:59:29] in our hotels, in our airport. We were the first to do so. Um,
[3:59:34] and, and while the yacht club legally is a very different structure
[3:59:38] than what we have, we encourage you work together both sides of the table
[3:59:42] and make sure that what you bring forward is consistent with the experience that we've put forward in long beach. Because
[3:59:47] we're, we're going out, we're attracting the world, and we are trying to leverage this to create
[3:59:51] as much of an economic impact and a lasting legacy for our community.
[3:59:55] and I think a big part of it's how we do it together. Labor, community,
[3:59:59] business, all at the same table, uh, make setting an example for the world.
[4:00:04] and so, I wanna thank all of you, and now it's time for the council to make a decision. Uh, roll
[4:00:08] call. Vote please. Council, district two.
[4:00:12] aye. Council district three. Aye. District four. Aye.
[4:00:16] district five. Aye. District six. Aye. District seven.
[4:00:21] aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye. Motion is
[4:00:25] carried. Alright, thank you.
[4:00:34] alright, so now it is time for general public
[4:00:38] comment. Number one, general public comment. I'm gonna call the names.
[4:00:45] okay. I, I, uh, I have william parker. We're gonna give it a moment for the room
[4:00:49] to clear. Let's give it a moment for the room to clear for everyone leaving for public
[4:00:53] comment. Good job.
[4:01:20] hang on, hang on, hang on. It's not going yet. We gonna let let it
[4:01:24] quiet down a bit.
[4:01:37] mm-hmm .
[4:01:49] steal our money. Stealing.
[4:01:57] stealing a great time.
[4:02:05] get outta there. Alright, we're gonna go ahead and proceed. I'm gonna read all,
[4:02:09] all six names, five or six names and then you can get started. Lillian. Thank you. So lillian
[4:02:13] parker, michelle spears, brookins. Laura. Richard guzman.
[4:02:18] uh, m-I-c-h-e-l. Michelle and rachel. W
[4:02:22] so lillian, you're up. Thank you. Good evening mayor and members of the city
[4:02:26] council. Um, my name is lillian parker and I'm here on behalf of, we
[4:02:30] got this long beach cares at community organization,
[4:02:34] committed to strengthening long beach through collaboration, youth
[4:02:39] opportunity and healing centered agree
[4:02:43] engagement. Uh, I'm here tonight,
[4:02:47] uh, to invite your support,
[4:02:51] uh, for our peace and unity walk. It's scheduled for this
[4:02:56] saturday at 9:00 am in the shoreline area in district one.
[4:03:02] it's a community gathering designed as a precursor to the annual
[4:03:06] mlk celebration, creating intentional space for reflection,
[4:03:11] unity, action in and action in the days leading up to
[4:03:15] the mlk parade. This work is deeply rooted in the
[4:03:19] local legacy of dr. King.
[4:03:24] this work began in district six, um, with the
[4:03:28] late d my life partner darryl smith, um, who has left
[4:03:33] in 2022. And we are continue to move his legacy forward
[4:03:38] in the efforts of engagement and collaboration.
[4:03:43] our vision is to grow this into a citywide tradition that where each
[4:03:48] council district supports or host an mlk inspired event during
[4:03:52] the pre week of mlk day, reflecting the legacy
[4:03:56] and the values of dr. Martin luther king so that all
[4:04:00] constituents can participate close to the home.
[4:04:04] then as one city, we can all come together and celebrate
[4:04:08] on the day itself. We appreciate the council
[4:04:12] members who have supported this work. And although they're not here,
[4:04:17] council members and deha and allen, their acknowledgement
[4:04:21] and support last year, um, I truly respect
[4:04:26] them for that. And, um, tonight
[4:04:30] I'm here to ensure that I invite each and every one of you to give that same support
[4:04:34] and effort for this entire city. It is not
[4:04:38] just a district support, a district celebration, it is a city celebration
[4:04:43] and it's really integral that our leaders show their their
[4:04:47] support in moving this forward. I look forward to working with all of you
[4:04:51] and I'm grateful, um, for the ears and the eyes that we
[4:04:55] have been able to capture. Thank you.
[4:05:00] thank you. Alright, next is michelle. Hi. Hi.
[4:05:04] happy new year to everybody. My name is michelle spears
[4:05:09] bricken and I'm here today to thank
[4:05:15] christina duggan and dr. Oti
[4:05:20] for being in my family's life during a tragic
[4:05:24] situation that happened last year. I'm sure everybody has heard about it.
[4:05:29] and I just wanted to come here to say if it wasn't
[4:05:33] for you guys placing my nephew jeremy spears
[4:05:38] on your agenda when he was murdered in belmont shore,
[4:05:43] I don't know what my family would've done. So on behalf of the spears family,
[4:05:48] I'm here today to thank you. Or tonight I was
[4:05:52] determined I was not gonna leave until I had a chance to tell you guys.
[4:05:57] um, we have been in long beach for over 60
[4:06:01] years. I went to long beach poly 45 years
[4:06:05] ago, and I've been a part of the community. I don't live here any longer,
[4:06:09] but after seeing what's going on today that's going on in long beach, I may
[4:06:13] have to sell my house in downey and come back here. , I mean,
[4:06:18] a lot of great things going back, going on in long beach, but I personally
[4:06:22] came here to thank you councilwoman,
[4:06:27] the, to thank the police department who swiftly
[4:06:32] caught the perpetrator, and also to thank that your
[4:06:36] community who supported my family throughout this
[4:06:40] entire situation. So I'm here tonight to say
[4:06:44] thank you guys. Thank you.
[4:06:49] alright, next is laura, then ricardo. Uh, she'll go in front of me. That's
[4:06:53] fine. Okay. Uh, what's your name? Rachel? Um, uh, michel.
[4:06:57] michel. Okay. Hi, uh, good evening everyone. Um, I just wanted
[4:07:01] to take a few seconds to acknowledge, kind of tie in the, um,
[4:07:05] intersectionality between the topics tonight, including the yacht club and,
[4:07:10] um, the vip records. The vip records. I couldn't help but thinking,
[4:07:14] you know, when they were mentioning the notoriety of the, uh, mlk
[4:07:19] and pch intersection of how a couple months ago,
[4:07:23] there were two men that were ambushed by ice there in their vehicle, uh, racially
[4:07:27] profiled and dragged outta their car, um, right across the street from the seven 11. And
[4:07:31] that's, that's what I think about when I think about mlk and pch. And when I think about the yacht
[4:07:35] club and I see the, um, number of white people that just left, um, I can't
[4:07:39] help but think, you know, how is a group of white people know what's in the best
[4:07:44] interest of, of black and brown community? Um,
[4:07:49] so I, all that said, I hope you enjoyed your holiday break. Um,
[4:07:53] I gave my parents, uh, the air tags, apple
[4:07:57] air tags so that I know, um, that they're gonna be okay in case ice
[4:08:01] racially profiles them and decides to take them. Um, I want
[4:08:05] to start off by extending my gratitude to, um, dr. Sorrow, uh, for
[4:08:09] taking the time to come with me and senator lena gonzalez to visit one of
[4:08:14] the families victimized by ice and, um, mary sinha
[4:08:18] district. I'm here to get again, yet again to bring public awareness and demand action
[4:08:23] that community members have been demanding for months now, approximately
[4:08:27] 16 ice kidnappings have been documented in long beach since june of last year.
[4:08:31] this doesn't include the people who have been racially profiled and released. So
[4:08:35] I'm very confident this, that this number is grossly underestimated because
[4:08:39] every single time I speak to a community member, I learn about someone else
[4:08:43] that has been kidnapped. Like yesterday when I heard that somebody, somebody told me,
[4:08:47] they disclosed that their brother who's a us citizen had been taken after being, being
[4:08:51] racially profiled. Same. Uh, we are a year into this targeted ethnic
[4:08:55] cleansing and there has been a consistent lack to protect our community. We
[4:08:59] have not had zero, we have had zero legal support funding for
[4:09:04] any of the families that I've spoken to. Unless you've spoken with people who have
[4:09:08] direct experience with these detention centers, you cannot honestly tell me that it's
[4:09:12] not a case of ethnic cleansing. Back in september, back
[4:09:16] in december, a father was ambushed in front of his family and on his, on his way
[4:09:20] to work. Uh, his 12-year-old son was assaulted while trying to capture an incident from
[4:09:24] his phone. Uh, the family called the police to report the incident and the police did nothing. But
[4:09:28] the officer did mention that he knew that ice had plans to be in the area that
[4:09:32] day. Someone ended up calling me a stranger. I'm just a person, I don't
[4:09:36] get paid for this. I visited the family and found the father with his partner and his newborn baby
[4:09:41] in his arms. His face and neck were completely brutalized, um, red and
[4:09:45] purple. The family now is living in constant fear today.
[4:09:49] ice ambushed. Uh, ice agents who were staying at the residence inn, uh,
[4:09:53] brutalized a number of people. One of those people was a legal resident, a senior citizen who's
[4:09:57] beloved of santa ada community member and a permanent vendor. He was
[4:10:01] sent to the hospital because ice refused to take his paperwork to confirm his residency.
[4:10:06] ma'am concluded handcuffs on him so tight that they cut his wrist and blood circulation.
[4:10:11] an ambulance had to be called to take the cuffs off and he was taken into the hospital
[4:10:15] many times. Same man that's staying at the residence in hilton. You let complete her. She waited a long time.
[4:10:19] let her complete her statement. The very sim agents that then brutalized another man
[4:10:23] racially profiled him, they tackled him, punched him, this is
[4:10:27] all on video, grabbed him by his ankle, spun him on the ground while his
[4:10:31] ankle was still facing up. So it's very likely that he either sprained, he both
[4:10:36] probably sprained his ankle and broke his knee. Um, I demand immediate and immediate requests
[4:10:40] in an investigation to pursue individual civil suits against these ice agents
[4:10:44] who are in violation of the recently enacted no secret police act.
[4:10:48] as you know, the code that exists within the police act, um, gives way
[4:10:53] to personal civil suits. And I really do think that it's time to make an example out of them,
[4:10:57] specifically these guys that are staying in our hotels here. Thank you. Thank
[4:11:01] you. Alright, next speaker please.
[4:11:06] alright, here we go. Uh, ola. Ola.
[4:11:10] I'm back. Wake you guys up.
[4:11:16] I just wanna say happy new year or is it as ice is
[4:11:20] still kidnapping our family, our neighbors disappearing them off the streets. The genocide
[4:11:24] in palestine continues using our tax dollars to do so. And bonus, our
[4:11:28] tyrannical regime that's in the white house just invaded
[4:11:32] venezuela, a sovereign country and kidnap their democratically elected leader to steal
[4:11:36] their oil and other resources, you know, the
[4:11:40] american way. And of course, you up there still
[4:11:45] don't do anything for us, your constituents that we've asked you
[4:11:49] to do. Let me ask you, what's it gonna take for you to get up off your
[4:11:53] asses and actually do what we want you to do? Now, someone
[4:11:57] just mentioned that, um, you know, long beach police,
[4:12:01] something about long beach police, I'm gonna mention this. So
[4:12:06] a lot of you have said, oh, long beach police department doesn't know what's going on, you told me
[4:12:10] yesterday.
[4:12:14] so this right here is an officer at lbpd
[4:12:19] ua officer that is saying,
[4:12:23] told me yesterday that they were going to be out there, quote unquote. The audio comes
[4:12:28] from a police response to families nine one one call to long beach police department
[4:12:32] following an attempted ice kidnapping in their neighborhood. The call was made after
[4:12:36] fa the fa the father, excuse me, the call was made after a father was
[4:12:40] ambushed, injured after his child was reportedly assaulted while filming the encounter.
[4:12:44] same. The city of long beach must adopt a written policy.
[4:12:49] and this is not me, but I am making this known. At
[4:12:53] minimum, the council should require one disclose when a, um,
[4:12:57] excuse me, disclose when advanced notice is refe is received by local police.
[4:13:02] two, a prohibition on the use of city resources to facilitate
[4:13:06] ice activity beyond what is legally required. Three, mandatory
[4:13:11] reporting to the city council advance when advance
[4:13:15] notice is given four clear protections when children
[4:13:19] are involved. Now, you know what,
[4:13:23] it's so interesting because I see you guys up here and you know what you have
[4:13:27] your seats for right now, but let me tell you, there are a lot of people ready to take your
[4:13:31] seats. So when you think about it,
[4:13:36] think about stop being feckless leaders. Do what your constituents
[4:13:40] want you to do. And I just wanna say,
[4:13:45] free palestine in closing, free venezuela.
[4:13:50] free the congo, free the sudan, f**k
[4:13:54] igra, and make goddess bless me and all other immigrants
[4:13:58] and us citizens stuck in cages and concentration camps here in the us as
[4:14:03] well as abroad. And those murdered by ice and those
[4:14:07] families we will never forget. Best believe, but
[4:14:11] happy, happy 26 unified to amplify.
[4:14:15] thank you for your testimony. Richard.
[4:14:21] I have richard and I have rachel. I mean, excuse me, I have ricardo and I have rachel.
[4:14:26] good evening. Uh, I can't see anyone here. Forgot who I am. My name is
[4:14:30] ricardo guzman and I'm the captain of the long beach chapter of the brown berets.
[4:14:34] and you'll be seeing more of me and more of us because we're committed to showing up
[4:14:38] for this community. I want to ground this on what I stand on. I
[4:14:42] earn the pin I wear through discipline, military service, long hours,
[4:14:46] high standards and accountability when it mattered. And I earn
[4:14:50] laa patch through commitment to community defense and chicano
[4:14:54] resistance. Those symbols come from different worlds, but they both represent discipline,
[4:14:59] service, and integrity. They're earned not given.
[4:15:03] and that's why what happened tonight matters. Public comment is normally sooner
[4:15:08] and moving it to the end of the night when the community showed up with urgency, sends
[4:15:12] a clear message. It tells people their voices can be delayed, managed,
[4:15:16] or pushed aside. To talk about kiosks and yachts, it shows a willingness
[4:15:20] to use procedure to avoid accountability. And I'll be honest, when you've earned what I've
[4:15:24] earned, when you've stood where I've stood, you recognize when
[4:15:28] people in power are avoiding the responsibility that comes with their position.
[4:15:33] and you all clearly lack it. Amen. This past saturday, our long
[4:15:37] beach chapter worked along our fellow berets in bakersfield at salon juarez
[4:15:41] working alongside the black panthers. Together we created
[4:15:45] a safe haven for families, free dental screenings, food activities
[4:15:50] for kids. In a space where people could breathe without fear. Brown
[4:15:54] and black unity, serving shoulder to shoulder something, those yacht yuppies
[4:15:58] fear. That's what real republic, that's what real public safety looks like.
[4:16:02] and that's the kind of environment I want to help build here in long beach, because it
[4:16:07] seems like you can't. But right now we're facing something very different.
[4:16:11] ice agents and other federal law enforcement personnel are being quietly housed in hotels
[4:16:15] across the city. No public notice, no community input, no oversight.
[4:16:20] meanwhile, immigrant, immigrant families, workers and volunteers are sharing
[4:16:24] space with federal agents without even knowing it. That's not what
[4:16:28] a welcoming city looks like. And today, today
[4:16:32] one of our rapid response volunteers was assaulted and brought daylight at a home depot,
[4:16:37] nearly run over, physically confronted her property, knocked out
[4:16:41] of her hands. This behavior is emboldened by ice presence. We
[4:16:45] have the images, we have the vehicle, and we still don't have the answers. Volunteers
[4:16:50] who show up for the community should not be put in danger. When you put all of this
[4:16:54] together, it shows a pattern, secrecy, intimidation, and
[4:16:58] a lack of oversight around federal enforcement activity in our region. And the people who
[4:17:02] feel it first are the same people who already live with fear and detention, separation
[4:17:07] or harassment. People who work hard and don't own fancy yachts. So I'm
[4:17:11] asking for three things. Transparency, transparency, accountability,
[4:17:15] and community voice. The brown berets show up with discipline and calm. We're
[4:17:19] not here to escalate anything. We're here because our community deserves dignity, clarity, and protection.
[4:17:24] we've shown what real community safety looks like in bakersfield, in our neighborhoods. And
[4:17:28] everywhere we serve, long beach has an opportunity to lead with integrity. So
[4:17:32] I'm asking you to take that seriously, raa
[4:17:36] and power to the people. Woo. Thank you for your testimony.
[4:17:41] alright, is rachel here? Okay. Rachel,
[4:17:45] you're up. And sir, you weren't on the list, but we'll let you speak. All right. Thank you. All right. Hi.
[4:17:49] good evening. Um, happy new year. Thank you for allowing me to speak.
[4:17:54] um, I'm specific hold. Oh, sorry. Thank you.
[4:17:59] um, I'm sorry. Uh, mr. Super na is not here I am his
[4:18:03] constituent. Um, I was here two months ago, early november.
[4:18:08] and what I spoke with you about that kind of then was the fact that I
[4:18:12] had contacted long beach pd, the chief's office chief haage, to ask
[4:18:16] what would happen to me, a white us citizen
[4:18:20] with my 4-year-old in the backseat of my car if I was
[4:18:24] kidnapped by ice after they crashed into my vehicle in like a
[4:18:28] target parking lot. We had seen this happening across the country
[4:18:33] two days before that we saw us citizen, infant child,
[4:18:38] child of another us citizen be driven away from the cypress park
[4:18:42] home depot. I never received an answer or a response,
[4:18:46] even though I was told I was the day that that meeting I was here.
[4:18:50] I did meet with long beach pd officers at a coffee meet and greet.
[4:18:54] those officers at the time were wonderful. I have to say they
[4:18:58] had not been briefed on any such sort of a situation.
[4:19:03] they literally could not tell me if they had just spoken to me in target
[4:19:07] and if I walked to my car and turns out there was actually ice
[4:19:11] at that farmer's merchant base bank in that very day.
[4:19:15] and if they watched my car get
[4:19:19] ramped in by, by mask men, that they did
[4:19:23] not have an answer as to what they would do if they saw me be
[4:19:28] pulled out and them get in my car and drive off with my child.
[4:19:32] it's been two months. There are still no answers. So I,
[4:19:37] I am the least person that's being affected by this, but
[4:19:41] it does affect my family. My family is mixed.
[4:19:45] so I do have fears that are beyond just, but I'm using my
[4:19:49] voice as a white lady that lives on that side of town to let you know that
[4:19:53] we are not just ignoring this. And I honestly
[4:19:57] would really, really, really like to have a town hall
[4:20:02] that includes long beach pd. Um, so that answers
[4:20:06] can and community in, in a place that isn't so difficult to
[4:20:10] get to and at a time that isn't as difficult to get to. 'cause I know
[4:20:14] there are a lot more people in the community who
[4:20:19] want questions answered, especially with the law, law, the mask. There's
[4:20:23] so much confusion at that. Oh, well, it's not, you can't enforce that. Well, technically
[4:20:27] we have every one of our legislature on social media telling us
[4:20:31] the mask law is in effect. So tell me
[4:20:36] why are masked men who beat? I was gonna show you the, the
[4:20:40] images of the men that were beating those men up to in santa
[4:20:44] ana and costa mesa today. Because guess what, they live right here
[4:20:49] across the street on december 7th. They
[4:20:53] tried to drive a community member off the road as he entered the, um,
[4:20:57] off of gaffey as he got onto the bridge, his car, their car
[4:21:01] that they were driving, parked right here. This is all on
[4:21:05] video. So I don't understand, and this is not a condemnation
[4:21:10] of, of the police department. I have never had anything but respect for police.
[4:21:14] and I'm a military brat. I am,
[4:21:19] I am shocked and I do not understand why
[4:21:23] men today, right now, with a mask, with masks, that we know who
[4:21:27] they are. We know some of their names. We know where
[4:21:31] they are more than likely right now. Why are they free?
[4:21:36] the same man held a woman at gunpoint in santa ana. That is not in
[4:21:40] october. This guy, we know who we know one who one
[4:21:44] of it is, they broke the law in costa mesa today with
[4:21:49] masks vi in with a violent de, uh, detention that
[4:21:53] violates constitutional rights. And they're wearing masks according
[4:21:57] to state law. They are supposed to not have immunity. So,
[4:22:01] and even if they did, it's still a violation of federal law. So
[4:22:05] why are they being allowed to just stay there? That's
[4:22:10] what I just don't understand. And that's what I'd really, really like to know. I wanna
[4:22:14] feel safe and if I don't feel safe going to a store
[4:22:19] with my son, how is anybody else
[4:22:23] supposed to? That doesn't look like me. Amen. In this
[4:22:27] city. And so I thank you. And I do want one more thing. I just wanted to mention that,
[4:22:32] just so you guys know, I I haven't harassed the police department about
[4:22:36] this. 'cause quite honestly, I don't wanna be looking like I'm some
[4:22:40] troublemaker or something like that. . And it was
[4:22:44] really, really sad state of affairs to when senator alex
[4:22:48] vidia today pro, um, proposed a legislation
[4:22:53] in on the house floor as to whether they were or senate floor to,
[4:22:58] um, honor our capitol police
[4:23:02] as, as heroes because that's what they were. And they are, and all first responders.
[4:23:07] mm-hmm. And the republican sent under her, said, no,
[4:23:11] he objected to that. So please, I just want to know
[4:23:15] long beach pd I, who are you working for? Because
[4:23:20] if that's the people you're, you are following the rules of they don't like you,
[4:23:24] they don't respect you anyways, okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank
[4:23:28] you. Alright sir, just give your name and you can, uh,
[4:23:32] go ahead and proceed. My name is, uh, joshua blackstone,
[4:23:37] and I'm gonna keep it short. I know a lot of elected officials
[4:23:42] swear in on a bible and not the constitution. So I wanted to
[4:23:46] remind you that in the constitution, it specifically states that
[4:23:50] all persons not citizens have the right to
[4:23:54] due process. Amen. That's it.
[4:24:02] so simple. Thank you. Thank you guys. So I wanna thank all of you for coming out. Um,
[4:24:06] these are atrocities that are, that are happening. Some of these questions are
[4:24:10] good, fair questions. That's what this platform is for. Raise those questions. I know
[4:24:15] they're heated emotional questions, but no, we're grappling with the same
[4:24:19] questions. When we have answers, we, we give them, we take the actions we have clarity
[4:24:24] on. And sometimes when you push us, we learn. And there's, you
[4:24:28] know, we find we, you know, that's how we've updated our, our values act twice this
[4:24:32] year. So let's, the way we move forward is by
[4:24:36] communicating clearly with each other and it's, and figuring out what we can do, uh,
[4:24:40] to best protect our community. So I wanna thank you. Keep coming out, uh, because
[4:24:44] we do process these, these questions. We talk with our attorneys, we talk
[4:24:48] with our police chief, and we ask the, some of the very same questions that have been raised
[4:24:53] because we, I know what it feels like to be pro racially profiled.
[4:24:57] I know that, that nobody should, no matter, you know, what your background is,
[4:25:02] it is unfair. It doesn't feel good, and it's unconstitutional whether the supreme court
[4:25:06] says it is or not. So thank you so much, uh, for, uh, speaking up. We still
[4:25:10] have, uh, I think six or eight more council agenda items, and then we have another public comment
[4:25:14] period. So we're gonna go item item 33, please report from
[4:25:18] economic development and opportunity recommendation to approve the downtown long beach
[4:25:23] property and business improvement district annual report and assessment, automatically
[4:25:27] extending the current agreement with the downtown long beach alliance and authorized
[4:25:31] payment in city property assessments of $615,561.
[4:25:37] district one. All right. I see, uh, one member of the public signed up to speak. Is he
[4:25:41] still here? Austin. Austin, come on up. Can we get a mover
[4:25:45] and a, we don't need a staff report. Let's just five. And she
[4:25:49] needs a second. All right. We need a motion. And second five
[4:25:54] and eight. All right. Eight and six. Motion second.
[4:26:02] you got, that's a lot you handing off. We could save a tree, man. You could have emailed us.
[4:26:06] .
[4:26:11] alright, I know we have two items. Oh, good to go. Perfect.
[4:26:15] uh, I know we have two items tonight. We have both the property based improvement district, as well as the downtown
[4:26:19] parking improvement area. I wanna thank you all again for your time this evening. I will,
[4:26:23] uh, keep my remarks brief. Um, but what has been handed out is
[4:26:28] our annual report, as well as our mid-year update, um, as the,
[4:26:32] uh, task with managing the downtown improvement district. Um,
[4:26:36] we look at four to five key areas, economic development, marketing,
[4:26:41] communications and promotions, placemaking activations, safety,
[4:26:46] security, and public safety. Um, and over the last year, we've done a lot of great work
[4:26:50] to continue the recovery of downtown. Um, and,
[4:26:54] uh, we look forward to 2026 as an opportunity to build on that momentum. I wanna
[4:26:58] thank this body for helping to approve the entertainment zone. In the past year,
[4:27:02] uh, we were able to kick off with a very successful launch event on the promenade, where we
[4:27:07] saw over 3000 folks attend that event. And then another very successful halloween
[4:27:11] event where we saw more than 5,000 people show up for that event. Um, and we're looking to
[4:27:15] 2026 to bring down downtown, back to its musical roots by bringing back
[4:27:19] a monthly event called downtown live, which will happen on the promenade and also take advantage
[4:27:23] of the entertainment zone. Uh, we're also looking forward to fifa in the world
[4:27:27] cup and how we begin to activate pine avenue as a watch party central. Um,
[4:27:32] we know that we still need to work on areas of retail vacancy,
[4:27:36] uh, and attracting new businesses to the downtown and creating pathways
[4:27:40] for businesses to get there. Our economic development programs, like our, uh,
[4:27:44] food series, which was done in both english and spanish, was developed to help create
[4:27:49] pathways for those food vendor entrepreneurs, uh, who'd ultimately like to be in a brick
[4:27:53] and mortar space. So we're really excited for 2026.
[4:27:57] uh, we will be hosting our colleagues across the western region, uh,
[4:28:01] from downtowns up and down the state, uh, here in march, uh,
[4:28:05] to check out all the right work that we're doing here in the city of long beach and in downtown long beach.
[4:28:09] we'd extend that invitation to you all. Uh, and, uh, I know it's been a long evening,
[4:28:14] so thank you for your time. Thanks, austin. You know,
[4:28:18] I'll, I'll tell you, uh, the doba, I mean, you, you guys
[4:28:23] are, are doing an incredible job. And there are challenges every
[4:28:27] downtown across the state, uh, uh, faces. But I love that you, you're
[4:28:31] a peer to the other downtowns. You're a leader in the california downtown
[4:28:36] group. You've convened the heads of the bids from all the
[4:28:40] downtowns in the state here in long beach. You're sharing ideas. That
[4:28:44] collaborative spirit is how we will ensure that our downtown will recover.
[4:28:48] and you have constituents just like we have constituents. As you can see, it's
[4:28:53] not always easy, but, uh, downtown, um,
[4:28:57] you are, we're gonna be okay if we continue our spirit of working together. And I look forward, uh,
[4:29:01] to, uh, some of the, the incredible exciting opportunities we have next
[4:29:06] year, um, coming to our downtown. So keep up the good work, uh, to you and
[4:29:10] to your board, uh, and you have our support. Thank you. Thank you.
[4:29:14] alright, we have a motion and a second roll call. Vote plea roll call. Vote please.
[4:29:19] district two aye. District three. Aye.
[4:29:23] district four, district five. Aye. District six. Aye.
[4:29:27] district seven, aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye.
[4:29:32] motion is carried. All right, thank you. We're gonna go to 35
[4:29:36] report from economic development and opportunity recommendation to approve the
[4:29:40] downtown long beach parking and business improvement area annual report. Continue the
[4:29:44] annual business license assessment and authorize to extend the agreement
[4:29:48] with the downtown long beach alliance for a one year term district one.
[4:29:53] all right, we need a vo vocal mo motion and second motion. All
[4:29:57] right. Here, six second, and five is the second. Uh, public
[4:30:01] comment. Seeing none. Roll call, vote please.
[4:30:06] district two aye. District three. Aye. District
[4:30:10] five. Aye. District six. Aye. District seven. Aye.
[4:30:14] district eight. Aye. District nine. Aye. Motion is carried.
[4:30:18] all right, thank you. 37. Please report from
[4:30:22] economic development and opportunity recommendation to approve the midtown business improvement
[4:30:27] district annual report and assessment automatically extending the current agreement with
[4:30:31] the midtown property and business owners association and authorized payment of
[4:30:35] $18,183. District six. Alright. Alright,
[4:30:40] we have a motion cd six and a second cd five.
[4:30:44] uh, any public comment? No. Public comment. Roll call. Vote please.
[4:30:48] district two aye. District three.
[4:30:53] aye. District five. Aye. District six. Aye. District seven.
[4:30:58] aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye. Motion
[4:31:02] is carried. Thank you. 38. Please report from health and human services recommendation
[4:31:07] to execute an agreement, all necessary documents and any subsequent amendments, including
[4:31:12] to the award amount or term with the medi-cal managed
[4:31:16] care plans to accept and expend funding in the amount of 2,140,587
[4:31:22] for community health assessment and community health improvement plan citywide.
[4:31:27] all right. Uh, is there a motion? Second eight
[4:31:31] and second five. Alright. Uh, any public comment?
[4:31:35] no. Public comment. Roll call. Vote please. District two aye.
[4:31:40] district three. Aye. District five. Aye. District six. Aye.
[4:31:44] district seven aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye.
[4:31:48] motion is carried. Item 39,
[4:31:55] report from city attorney. Recommendation to declare ordinance, repealing ordinance, which
[4:32:00] amended chapter 3.62 of the long beach municipal
[4:32:04] code relating to the city's transaction and use tax to be administered by the california department
[4:32:08] of tax and fee administration to effectuate the language from the county
[4:32:12] of los angeles. Measure a red and adopted as red.
[4:32:17] uh, we need a motion and a second. All right. I heard
[4:32:21] six and eight. Uh, any public comment? No. Public comment.
[4:32:25] roll call vote. District two. Aye.
[4:32:30] district three?
[4:32:34] aye. District five. Aye. District six. Aye.
[4:32:39] district seven. Aye. District eight. Aye. District nine.
[4:32:43] aye. Motion is carried. Item 40, report from economic development
[4:32:47] and opportunity recommendation to adopt a resolution approving the annual report
[4:32:51] for the belmont shore parking and business improvement area. Declaring council's intention
[4:32:56] to levy and collect the annual business assessment and settle setting
[4:33:00] the date of the public hearing on the levy of the proposed assessment for february 3rd, 2026.
[4:33:06] and declare ordinance modifying the assessment to be levied with the belmont shore parking and
[4:33:10] business improvement area. Read the first time and later in the next regular meeting for final
[4:33:14] reading. District three. Thank you. Motion three. Is there a second?
[4:33:19] five. Uh, any public comment? No. Public comment. Roll call. Vote please.
[4:33:24] district two aye. District three. Aye. District five.
[4:33:28] aye. District six. Aye. District seven. Aye. District eight. Aye.
[4:33:33] district nine. Aye. Motion is carried. All right, thank you.
[4:33:37] we'll now go to general public comment number two. We have three members of the public signed
[4:33:41] up to speak. Dave shukla, kathleen adams and josh blackstone. Are you here?
[4:33:49] a mayor? I think we need a second vote on item 40. On item 40.
[4:33:53] okay. We need a second vote on item 40. It's not noted here, but, uh, roll call,
[4:33:57] vote please. District two. Aye.
[4:34:02] district three. Aye. District five. Aye. District six. Aye.
[4:34:06] district seven. Aye. District eight. Aye. District nine. Aye.
[4:34:10] second vote is carried. Thank you. Alright, uh, public
[4:34:15] comment. Uh, dave, you're up.
[4:34:22] thank you. Uh, good evening, mr. Mayor. Council members, um, happy
[4:34:26] new year. Uh, are the seats in the back coming
[4:34:30] back or those gone forever? Um,
[4:34:35] can, uh, can, can we get a 66 year lease on a climate plan?
[4:34:40] um, maybe a 66 year, uh, lease on some solar panels to call our
[4:34:45] cover all of our, uh, inland waterways, uh, within the city boundaries?
[4:34:49] you know, for all this talk we have of bringing the world over to show
[4:34:53] how world class we are, um, I'd like to say some things, uh,
[4:34:58] on the record about, uh, the us' uh, abduction of venezuela's
[4:35:02] president and, uh, what it means, uh, for our
[4:35:06] fair town. Uh, this is not a lawful law enforcement
[4:35:11] operation. Um, it was a heavily signaled bit of imperial posturing
[4:35:15] that found, uh, uh, over the past month that just this past weekend
[4:35:19] found still kind of shocking and surprising. Bit of, uh, very
[4:35:23] personalized, uh, bit of gangsterism, uh, ahead of a
[4:35:28] congressional debate on a war powers resolution. Uh, there of course should be a
[4:35:33] debate and it should be voted down. And, uh, you know, this
[4:35:37] entire federal administration should be, uh, impeached, censured, condemned to, resisted,
[4:35:42] defeated, and, uh, properly understood in world historical context. Uh,
[4:35:46] should humanity persist past, uh, with the slot of playing it.
[4:35:51] um, I agree with senator mark kelly that we, uh, need to send a message back
[4:35:55] to these thugs that, uh, they don't get to decide what americans in this country
[4:35:59] get to say, uh, about or to, uh, or with, uh,
[4:36:03] or for, uh, their government. Um, I'd
[4:36:07] go a couple of steps further, of course, and say that words no longer nor
[4:36:11] need be, uh, the health of the state and that the physical damage and destruction unleashed
[4:36:16] by this entire, uh, current
[4:36:20] economic, economic system, uh, imperils a lot more things than, you know, the best laid plans
[4:36:25] for a leader's legacy or six or six year leader leases or
[4:36:30] along beach waterfront. I think, uh, you know,
[4:36:34] thinking of just the, the ability from 1943
[4:36:39] to 1945, that rate of emissions had kept going for four
[4:36:43] to six more years. We'd already been irreversible climate change, you know, 50, 60 years
[4:36:47] ago. Um, I just, I think the, the, the trajectory that we're on
[4:36:51] is something that, uh, we don't, we won't, uh,
[4:36:55] get too many more chances to do something about.
[4:37:00] and, uh, there's a lot more I could say about, uh, being high bound to fossil fuels. But
[4:37:04] I'd just like to close, uh, council members and mr. Mayor by saying that, uh,
[4:37:08] I don't envy the river of troubles that this is gonna bring all of our way,
[4:37:12] including yours in your roles. And I, I think we
[4:37:16] are all lucky to have a history in this country of having not only
[4:37:20] built, uh, but then also moved past, uh,
[4:37:24] building the arsenal of democracy. Thank you.
[4:37:29] thank you. Uh, kathleen. Hello. I'm
[4:37:33] kathleen adams from district four. Um, I wanna let
[4:37:38] say thank you so much because you are responding
[4:37:42] to the horrors of the human rights abuses by
[4:37:46] building resilience in the city. So I
[4:37:50] count the christmas parade as bringing everyone together in pajamas,
[4:37:55] breaking a record, and creating that community that makes us
[4:37:59] resilient. The mlkk parade that's coming up this week, oh,
[4:38:04] I hope it doesn't rain, but I've been there in the rain. Um, in the rain.
[4:38:08] , thank you for, um,
[4:38:13] allowing us to have the mutt run. I'll turn that in. Um, that's
[4:38:17] coming up february 21st. It's another way to connect dogs and
[4:38:21] people and raise the spirits of everyone and build community.
[4:38:25] um, please give blood continue.
[4:38:29] we have red cross right here in long beach. Fantastic. Um,
[4:38:34] and the new ball club activities that are going. And, um,
[4:38:38] ollie the um, lifelong lifespan education just started this week.
[4:38:42] it's one of the best ways of building community. If you've ever gone to the current
[4:38:47] events class, which is thursdays at noon, it's packed.
[4:38:51] and people like here have a say. It's if
[4:38:55] you guys ever wanna come and just check in, that's your constituents from all
[4:39:00] over. Long beach. Come together there. It's a really good opportunity. So I invite
[4:39:04] you to come. It's not a formal group, but it kind of is. They've
[4:39:08] been continuing there. Another new group that I wanna highlight, they just had
[4:39:12] their pilot class last, uh, semester at cal state long beach
[4:39:16] education. That's the life will ambassadors class
[4:39:21] that's starting tomorrow, uh, for the second season. And that's
[4:39:25] dr. Hu. He had a stroke and in that epiphany
[4:39:29] of him being slowed down and his activities,
[4:39:34] he thought, what can I do with my life? And he is inviting people
[4:39:38] to be a life, uh, well wisdom educator. And he's
[4:39:42] trying to train as many people and train the trainers to train more people to have
[4:39:47] thousands of ambassadors of goodwill for the olympics.
[4:39:51] so please invite, I'm gonna ask him to send you the information
[4:39:55] so you can invite your constituents to be a 2028
[4:39:59] olympic life will ambassador. And that means, and I'm
[4:40:03] also part of the rotary club. We believe that how we act in, um, service
[4:40:08] above self, it ripples out. People see us doing service
[4:40:12] and more and more people do service and take responsibility for our community. So it's
[4:40:16] not all on you and nobody should be here seeing it's all on you. It's us.
[4:40:21] we're in this together. Um, darn. I'm
[4:40:25] out of, uh, please expand quality of life, uh, officers
[4:40:29] and the crisis response team to 24 hours and add 24 hour crisis
[4:40:33] response to the long beach go app as well. Thank you so much.
[4:40:38] alright, thanks kathleen. Well, that concludes public comment. We're
[4:40:42] not gonna go to closing, uh, statements and adjournment. Uh,
[4:40:47] we next week have our annual state of the city clergy to join us at
[4:40:51] the terrace theater. At the same time you'd normally join us for the council meeting. So,
[4:40:55] uh, this is a requirement in our city's charter once a year, uh, prior to
[4:40:59] january 15th. The mayor provides us comprehensive state of affairs of our city.
[4:41:04] uh, and this is a responsibility we take very seriously. And so, uh,
[4:41:08] we look forward to seeing you there. Um, we're gonna go through the list. Council
[4:41:12] member sorrows first. Yes, thank you, mayor. Um, yes, speaking
[4:41:16] of the mlk parade and fest, uh, celebration, um,
[4:41:20] it's not until the 17th, but I thought I'd start doing, um,
[4:41:24] a kind of countdown to it. So please join us
[4:41:29] for the 38th annual mlk parade in celebration on january 17th.
[4:41:33] the parade kicks off at 10:00 am on mlk avenue in anaheim.
[4:41:37] this year's theme, if you did not know, is rise up, stand
[4:41:42] up for his dream. And I just wanted to share that what
[4:41:46] we're doing differently this year from last year based on
[4:41:50] community feedback is we have a comm community advisory committee
[4:41:55] who, and it's black led, uh, so that we're centering black
[4:41:59] voices in how we shape this and community centered. Uh,
[4:42:04] so I think that we have done a lot to make sure that the community is
[4:42:08] heard and took a lot of recommendations so that,
[4:42:12] uh, everyone across generations can enjoy this, uh, celebration. So please
[4:42:16] join us. Thank you. And just wanna thank them for all their hard work. This is
[4:42:21] all their time is voluntary, they volunteer their time, so I wanna thank them and also
[4:42:25] my team for all their hard work and working with the advisory committee
[4:42:29] and o obviously putting together, uh, the, doing the work to
[4:42:33] put together this event. Thank you. Thank you. Council member kerr. Yes,
[4:42:37] thank you mr. Mayor. Um, so happy new year and as we're in the second week,
[4:42:42] or in getting into the second week of 2026, I wanna remind you of several monthly activities
[4:42:46] throughout district five that are kicking off their regularly scheduled events. This week,
[4:42:51] this thursday, january 8th at 8:00 am you can join the first monthly bird walk at rancho
[4:42:55] los cerritos. The rancho opens early for a free community bird walk every second
[4:42:59] thursday of the month, inviting neighbors to experience local wildlife throughout the historic grounds
[4:43:04] and gardens. And then on friday, january 9th at 2:00 pm you can join fellow volunteers
[4:43:09] at willow springs park for their monthly restoration. Fridays help tend to native plants every
[4:43:13] second friday of the month as the community contributes to the ongoing restoration of
[4:43:17] our city's most natural spaces. On saturday, january 10th at eight 30, you can join
[4:43:21] bixby highlands clean team for their first monthly cleanup of 2026 every
[4:43:25] second saturday of the month. You can choose from one of two locations, uh, 1187
[4:43:30] carson street or 4 5 5 5 orange to help fellow volunteers in keeping our local
[4:43:34] streets and waterways free of trash and debris supplies and donuts will be provided.
[4:43:38] and lastly, uh, saturday, january 10th, you can support local businesses and vendors
[4:43:43] in parkview village for their first second saturday's block party of
[4:43:47] the year. So hope to see you out in the community. Thank you. Council member thrashing.
[4:43:51] thank you. So it is the first council meeting of the new year. Happy new
[4:43:56] year. I hope that everyone had warm and a joyful holiday spent with
[4:44:00] family and friends. So as we enter this new year, january
[4:44:05] is actually human trafficking awareness month. And in honor of this,
[4:44:09] I invite you to join me at a community event called a conversation with
[4:44:13] coffee next wednesday, january 14th at 6:00 pm at the wrigley
[4:44:18] coffee house located on willow street. This event will be hosted
[4:44:22] by forgotten children incorporated, an organization dedicated to
[4:44:26] serving survivors across los angeles county. This evening
[4:44:30] will include a panel discussion, survivor speakers, and a space for the community to
[4:44:34] come together to affirm the commitment to justice for
[4:44:39] survivors and for support. Um, I encourage you to take part in this meaningful
[4:44:43] conversation. Uh, to close, I do want to, uh, take a
[4:44:47] moment to reflect. Uh, one year ago, the los angeles wildfires,
[4:44:51] uh, took out more than 12,000 facilities and our responders
[4:44:56] here in long beach, among others across the county, were responsible for going
[4:45:00] in and assisting. It has been a year since the fires caused that immense
[4:45:04] damage in the pacific palisades, pasadena, altadena, and other
[4:45:08] communities. We remember the lives affected the loss of homes
[4:45:13] and the resilience of those who are still committed to recovering.
[4:45:17] but even in the face of destruction, the response from southern california and
[4:45:21] across the country and the world was remarkable. Communities came together to
[4:45:25] provide support, relief, and hope for those impacted. Let us keep
[4:45:30] all of those impacted, uh, in our hearts and continue to uplift and
[4:45:34] support them as they rebuild and heal in the years to come after
[4:45:38] the fires. Thank you. Thank you. Council member
[4:45:42] rick sodi. Uh, thank you mayor. Um, I would like to invite everyone out to
[4:45:46] attend, um, the district nine queen mary community day, uh, on monday, january 26th
[4:45:51] from five to 8:00 pm guests will check in at the main entrance with a qr
[4:45:55] code ticket and receive a guide map to freely explore the ship. Enjoy live music, onboard
[4:46:00] exhibits, deck access, and dining options throughout the queen mary parking is
[4:46:04] $10 for validation. I would also like to invite everybody out to
[4:46:08] our upcoming citywide community budget meetings. The meeting serving district nine will
[4:46:12] take place on monday, february 2nd from six to 7:30 pm
[4:46:16] at the doris topsy elbert community center at houton park, 63 0 1
[4:46:21] myrtle avenue. And then, uh, and lastly, I'd like to invite everybody out to
[4:46:25] attend our annual 2026 state of the district on saturday,
[4:46:29] february 7th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm join us to hear about recent
[4:46:33] progress in our community, upcoming initiatives, and a vision for district nine and to connect with your local leaders.
[4:46:38] check in will take place from nine 30 to 10. The event also will be held at
[4:46:42] h park at the doorstop sea over community center at 63 0 1 myrtle avenue.
[4:46:47] we ask that if you can rsep in advance so we can get food. Uh, for more information,
[4:46:51] please contact our office at 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 1 3 7
[4:46:56] or district9@longbeach.gov.
[4:47:00] all right, thank you. That concludes announcements. Happy new year. Thanks for joining.
[4:47:05] uh, uh, we'll see you next week. Meeting adjourn.
[4:47:13] got a lot of, though, we got a lot.