CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Subject: EVENT STIMULUS FUND
Recommendation(s)
That Council approve a grant of $40,000.00 for the 2014 eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest with funds to be drawn from the Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund in accordance with Council Policy C-CS-11, Community Significant Event Stimulus Policy.
Purpose of Report
Council Policy C-CS-11, Community Significant Event Stimulus stipulates that funding recommendations must be presented to Council for approval.
Council Direction
On May 27, 2013, Council approved the following motion:
(C232-2013) That Policy C-CS-11 Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund identified as Attachment 1 to the report dated May 27, 2013 be approved.
Background and Discussion
The Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund (CSESF) was created to support the development of a new community significant event or to support the development of a specific new element of a longer standing community significant event.
The Event Hosting Committee, a committee comprised of staff and community volunteers, developed the CSESF policy, the funding application, and recommended the evaluation criteria. The policy indicates that the event hosting committee would also be the evaluators of the applications. However, since the development of the policy this committee has disbanded; therefore it was necessary to find another committee to take on the role of application evaluators.
Administration approached the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAB) to vet their interest as evaluators of the CSESF applications. EDAB was
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formed to provide expertise and a community perspective to Economic Development and consists of twelve (12) community members with varied backgrounds. At EDAB’s March 25, 2014 meeting the Board agreed to take on this role.
One application was submitted in the first round of call for proposals.
'eek! Comic and Pop Culture Fest' is an event that will be a showcase of comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television pop culture and related arts. Details are provided in Attachment 1.
The 'eek! Comic and Pop Culture Fest' fund application was provided to EDAB to evaluate with the criteria developed by the Event Hosting Committee. EDAB sees significant benefit to the City in supporting this event and recommends the funding request for this event be supported.
Stakeholder Communications or Engagement
Community engagement was achieved by the involvement of community members on the Event Hosting Committee.
Implications of Recommendation(s)
a) Financial: • $40,000.00 will be withdrawn from the Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund to support the 2014 eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest. The current balance of this fund is $199,000 as at March 31, 2014.
b) Legal / Risk: • Grant recipients are required to utilize funds as specifically authorized and to report to the City in a specified manner on the use of those funds. Recipients are advised that the failure to comply with these requirements may result in demands to repay the funding or refusals to provide grant funding upon future applications. c) Program or Service: • None at this time.
d) Organizational: • None at this time.
Alternatives and Implications Considered
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives could be considered:
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a) Council direct Administration to work with the applicant to modify application.
b) Council recommends a level of funding different that recommended by EDAB.
Strategic Connections a) Council’s Strategic Outcomes and Priorities (See Policy C-CG-02) • CULTIVATE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY: A diversified, robust and resilient economic foundation to support growth and community service delivery. • CULTIVATE A HISTORIC, CREATIVE, AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY: A vibrant and involved community with a variety of culture, recreation and heritage opportunities. • CULTIVATE A SAFE, HEALTHY AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY: A community that provides opportunities for everyone to realize their potential in thinking, caring and connected way. b) Long Term Plans (e.g. MDP, Social Master Plan, Cultural Master Plan, etc.) • Tourism Master Plan • Social Master Plan - “St. Albert is a community where residents are engaged and participate in a vibrant community” • Cultural Master Plan – “Celebrate Cultural Assets, Promote Cultural Tourism” c) Corporate Objectives (See Corporate Business Plan) d) Council Policies • City Council Policy C-CS-11 Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund e) Other Plans or Initiatives (Business Plans, Implementation Strategies, etc.) • N/A
Attachment(s)
1. eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest Grant Application
Originating Department(s): Economic Development Author(s): Joan Barber, Manager, Business Retention & Expansion General Manager Approval: Guy Boston, Executive Director
City Manager Signature: Date:
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Attachment 1
City of St. Albert Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund Application
GENERAL INFORMATION
Event Name: eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest Event Date: Saturday, May 31, 2014 Sunday, June 1, 2014 Host Organization: RJ Lolly Media Ltd. Host Website: www.theeek.com
Primary Contact Person
Address: Rob LeLacheur, 13 Mission Avenue, St. Albert, AB DayTime # 7809994667 Email: [email protected]
EVENT OVERVIEW Event Type: A Festival (with conference components) Event Description: A festival event to celebrate all things comic and pop culture. What is that exactly? It is a difficult question to answer shorty as there are so many components to it. The event will be a showcase of comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television pop culture and related popular arts. It will also include other pop culture categories such as animation, anime, manga, toys, collectibles, video games, digital art education, novels and more! Superman, the Avengers, Star Wars, Lego, Star Trek, the Walking Dead, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, Batman, Dragon Ball Z are just a sampling of the variety of things you’ll find at the comic and pop culture fest. Repeatedly, the majority of the top hollywood grossing films fall within these categories year after year. Every year there is another hit TV show, or another blockbuster movie that will continue to feed the fanbase within this category. It presents excellent growth opportunities. Like most comicbook conventions, the show will feature floor space for exhibitors. These include comicbook dealers and collectibles merchants. It may also include an autograph area, as well as the Creator’s Corner where comics and traditional pop culture artists can sign autographs and sell or do free sketches. It can also include writers and other various creators. The first year of the show will be hosted in up to two floor plates in St. Albert’s Servus Credit Union Place (dates are booked). The Northstar Hyundai arena and the Sarasota Fieldhouse. The first year target for attendance is approximately 3,000 attendees. Looking forward, the intent is for this to be a yearly show. The largest and best produced show in Northern Alberta in the first half of the year. Of note, the Calgary Expo is each April and the Edmonton Expo is each September. The event is intended to be complementary to the comic #eek2014 TheEek.com RJ Lolly Media Ltd.
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and pop culture community and is respectful of the timing of other shows. The idea is to carve out our place as one of the ‘must attend’ comic and pop culture events in Alberta (even Western Canada) throughout the year. There is a significant tourism component to this show, drawing visitors from around the regions as well as all across Western Canada. As the show grows in brand and popularity, the exhibitors, artists and guests will be from all around North America. The goal is to have the event each year in St. Albert in and around this date (end of May) with the target of booking and filling every square foot of available space within Servus Credit Union Place within three years.
Target Attendance: 2,000 3,000 *estimate for year one. Ticket Prices: Adult $12.00/day or $18.00/weekend Child (12 under) $5.00/day or $8.00/weekend.
Breakdown of Attendee Residency (*estimate) St. Albert 40% Edmonton Region 50% More than 40km away: 10%
Target Audience It is anticipated (based on three comparable Alberta shows) that the age breakdown of attendees will be: Almost balanced on Male/Female ratio 50/50. Under 18: 20% 18 30: 50% 3150: 20% 50 plus: 10%
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COMPARABLE SHOWS
Edmonton Animethon (www.animethon.org) Animethon is a Japanese Animation (“anime”) themed festival (which would be considered as only ONE category within a comic con) held annually in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Since 2006 the event has grown to an expected attendance of 10,000 in 2014.
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Edmonton Expo (www.edmontonexpo.com) The Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo event is projected to have an attendance of over 32,000 people in 2014. Featuring a myriad of special guests from film & television, comic books, scifi, horror, anime, cartoons & collectibles, this family friendly event caters to every fan of every genre. The show spans over 150,000 sq. ft. of space; packed with programming, vendors, artists, and special guests.
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Calgary Expo (www.calgaryexpo.com) The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo is Canada's largest Canadian owned pop culture event with an attendance of over 60,000 people in 2013. Featuring a myriad of special guests from film & television, comic books, scifi, horror, anime, cartoons & collectibles, this family friendly event caters to every fan of every genre. The show spans over 418,000 sq. ft. of space; packed with programming, vendors, artists, and special guests.
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ST. ALBERT’S BRAND PROMISE
Cultivating (Comic & Pop) Culture! The Festival will be a brand new addition to St. Albert filling a category not currently enjoyed by our city’s great festivals. Along with adding days of pop culture interactive fun for our local residents to enjoy, the festival will work towards building much more exposure in the region to all kinds of age demographics with this fun and interactive festival/conference.
The festival will have a major highlight on both local and regional artistic talent. Artists, writers, game developers, entrepreneurs and more wrapped around the category of comic and pop culture. It will showcase opportunities for education and growth within this creative field as well as provide economic opportunity for St. Albert’s businesses within (or complementary) to this show. This exposure will provide opportunity for growth within our community, within the opportunities enjoyed by this category on a worldwide basis, all while potentially offering the chance to develop those skills here in St. Albert. The next creator of a popular game like ‘Clash of Clans’ (an app that was created by Finnish company Supercell, which earned a reported $829 million in 2013) could be right here in St. Albert after being inspired at the eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest. Cultivate Life is truly embodied in the spirit and fun of the festival/conference.
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PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES The festival will be open for the following hours (tbc): Saturday, May 31, 2014 11:00am to 7:00pm Sunday, June 1, 2014 11:00am to 5:00pm
A schedule of activities is being planned for the event stage. Samples of the schedule which will be planned in approximately 45 minute sessions on the hour throughout the entire show. ● Cosplay Adults Contest - Adults (16 over) dressed as their favourite superhero, pop culture, anime character and more will take the stage for the judges to pick their favorite. ● Cosplay Kids Contest - Kids (16 under) dressed as their favourite superhero, pop culture, anime character and more will take the stage for the judges to pick their favorite. ● Creators Q&A Panels - join the creators as they take the stage for a audience interactive Q&A session. Learn about the ins and outs of their profession. Artists, writers, producers and more. ● Live Entertainment - The performance group Fable will showcase their dynamic entertainment, fuelled by a love of unique costuming, creative performance, and IMAGINATION! ● Live Performances by Fable Entertainment. ● Guests Panel discussion.
The Special Guest component of comic and pop culture shows form a significant portion of the attendee draw, especially when considering the marketing of the show. As a basis of comparison, the following are guest appearances at the Edmonton and Calgary shows.
Calgary Expo (2014 Announced) http://www.calgaryexpo.com/media-guests/ Anthony Daniels (C-3PO in Star Wars) Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) Michael Rooker, Emily Kinney, Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead) Karl Urban (Star Trek). Many Creator guests like artists of various comics.
Edmonton Expo (2013) John Barrowman (Doctor Who, Torchwood) Robert Englund (Freddy Kruger - Nightmare on Elm Street) Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown in Back to the Future) Chad Coleman (Tyreese in Walking Dead)
EVENT INFRASTRUCTURE The event is booked at St. Albert’s Servus Credit Union Place. Set up on May 30, 2014 and the show is running Saturday, May 31 - Sunday, June 1, 2014 Additional volunteers along with paid staff are being recruited for the event including but not limited to BAM St. Albert youth and more. The emergency plan for the event will fall within the operations and expectations of the
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host venue Servus Credit Union Place and local authorities (Fire Dept.).
BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PLAN St. Albert Expenditure REVENUE Total (Approx.) Exhibitor Booth rentals $24,000.00 Ticket Revenue $34,000.00 Sponsorship Revenue $3,000.00 Grant revenue $40,000.00
Total Revenue $101,000.00
EXPENSES Facility & Show Services $30,000.00 $15,000.00 Media & Special Guests $50,000.00 $10,000.00 Org/Event Staff $17,000.00 $17,000.00 Insurance/Miscellaneous $2,000.00 $2,000.00
Total Expenses $99,000.00 $44.000.00
Profit/Loss $2,000.00
ECONOMIC IMPACT When looking at the comparable events, it is without doubt that the future of this event presents many great opportunities for positive economic impact throughout St. Albert. Exhibitors, guests and attendees travel from many corners to attend these shows. They will provide many hotel room stays, food and beverage, local shopping and more. As the show grows each year, not only will it increase the amount of exhibitors, guests and attendees but will also increase the local expenditure for the operations of the show. This includes expanded rent and services in Servus Place, operations staff, marketing and more. One of the nice potential outcomes of this show is how it will encourage and connect the creative entrepreneur within the creative economy. Many of these opportunities can be achieved right here in St. Albert. The next artist, the next game developer, writer, director, performer and more! They may be provided the catalyst to move forward on their project, all because of this local show. Many businesses have started and flourished around the Edmonton region within this category, Bioware being one of the greatest examples. (Note: Bioware sold to EA for $860 million in 2007)
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PROMOTIONS PLAN FOR THE EVENT There will be a significant promotional plan for the launch of the first year of the festival. 1. Television a. Shaw TV i. 15 second ad rotation two months prior to show ii. Ticket contest giveaway on air b. Global TV i. Advertising during “Animation Sundays” 3 weeks leading up to show. 2. Outdoor a. Pattison i. The full LRT digital network ii. Outdoor bus shelters iii. Outdoor Digital Billboards b. Chamber Digital billboard
3. Print a. Edmonton Sun i. Print ad campaign plus ticket promotional give away ii. Website ads and contest promotions b. St. Albert Leader i. Print ad campaign plus ticket promotional give away ii. Website ads and contest promotions
4. Social Media a. Twitter b. Facebook c. Instagram
5. Blogging a. We are working with Steven J Hodges as our “Full Frontal Nerdity” expert. Steven has one of the most popular pop culture blogs in the region and he was heavily involved with the operations of both the Calgary and Edmonton Expo. http://stevenjhodges.com/ b. Connected with Mack Male, http://www.mastermaq.ca/ one of the most popular bloggers in the Edmonton region, who will assist with all known
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opportunities for event exposure via this medium.
6. Urban Guide a. We have partnered with Yelp! Edmonton who will be promoting the event to over 60,000 Yelpers! in the Edmonton area.
7. Strategic Partnerships a. BAM St. Albert i. Engaged with a fun interactive booth area for attendees within the show theme and also volunteering with the event. b. NALUG - the Northern Alberta Lego Users Group i. This very talented local group will be bringing an assortment of over 2,000 square feet of lego builds. Everything from Star Wars, to city scapes and more. c. Media PR - Depending on guest list, this will feed many PR opportunities as well. d. We continue to look for fun and creative partnerships that will assist in the marketing and experience of the show.
EVENT EVALUATION
GOAL OBJECTIVE/TARGET METHOD OF PERFORMANCE MEASURE
Exhibitors 50 + Exceeding 50 booth sales Attendees 3,000 + Ticket Sales Report Twitter 200,000+ impressions Twitter Social media report Facebook 50,000+ interactions FB Social media report Feedback 7.5 or higher Exhibitor Satisfaction survey
GRANT The requested Grant amount from the City of St. Albert Community Significant Event Stimulus Fund Application is as follows:
2014 Event: $40,000.00 2015 Event: $30,000.00
In the event of additional proceeds earned from the event, those funds will form part of the ongoing investment to grow the annual event.
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ABOUT RJ Lolly Media Ltd. is owned and operated by Rob LeLacheur. Rob is a long time St. Albert resident and has been very involved in the community for years. He is also the owner/operator of the St. Albert Leader. Currently Rob is the CoChair of GROW St. Albert which has produced the events TEDxStalbert and all of the Pecha Kucha St. Albert events. He was the former chair of the City of St. Albert Brand Leadership team, which oversaw the creation and implementation of the city’s new brand. He also sat on the St. Albert Economic Development Advisory Committee for six years. He was President/Chair of the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce in 2008 and active through the many roles including chair of the Lifestyle Expo. He was also a member of both the 2002 & 2010 Grey Cup organizing committees. Rob is no stranger to events and is looking forward to creating and growing the eek! Comic & Pop Culture Fest in St. Albert for the enjoyment of St. Albert, the Edmonton region and beyond.
In addition, the services of TL2 Project & Event Management, Bailey Event Management, GES Show Services, Production World and Trixstar have been secured to assist in the successful promotion and operation of the show.
About TL2 Project & Event Management: 60 collective years of project management, event planning, marketing and communications experience, our team has managed and implemented numerous successful high profile local, regional, national and international conferences, events and projects for the business community, industry associations and government departments throughout Alberta.
About Bailey Event Management: has produced a wide variety of shows and events for 25 years including music festivals, Gala award shows, conferences and fundraisers. Some credits include the Small Business Week Awards, the Edmonton Christmas Bureau Breakfast, the Esquao Awards, the City of St. Albert 150th Anniversary Celebration, Rock N’ August and many, many more.
About Production World: From the Jacksons, Keith Urban, William Shatner and the Rolling Stones to the British Royals, Production World has earned the respect of its local and international clients with experience in such venues as the Venue at River Cree Resort and Casino, Shaw Conference Center, Edmonton Expo Center, Rexall, Winspear, Jubilee Auditorium, West Edmonton Mall and the Enjoy Centre.
About Trixstar: Founded in 2005 by Mike Anderson; always with one thing in mind, “make it an event worth talking about.” To that end, he has compiled a team of dedicated, talented and hard working individuals who share his vision and are always striving to reach it. Services including Event Design, Event Management and Artist Management, all of which include creative strategy, development and production involving major live event production companies, producers, directors and writers.
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