AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Chad Lynn, Deputy Director of Special Projects – Public Safety Subject: APPROVAL OF A FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 PURCHASE ORDER IN A NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $685,014 TO J. BEN BOURGEOIS
PRODUCTIONS, INC., FOR THE RODEO DRIVE HOLIDAY LIGHTING
CELEBRATION ON RODEO DRIVE
Attachments: 1. City Council Study Session Report from September 16, 2025 (without attachments)
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the purchase order in an amount not-to-exceed $685,014 to J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, Inc. for holiday décor and lighting materials and services.
INTRODUCTION
This purchase order will provide for the materials and services related to the 2025 Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration.
DISCUSSION
J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, Inc. (JBB) has been the selected vendor for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting celebrations since 2019. The City of Beverly Hills has an existing contract with JBB for event management services.
The City Council reviewed the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration program and Liaison recommendations at the September 16, 2025 Study Session (Staff Report Attached)
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration comes from Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT). The City has maintained a policy of funding its tourism and marketing programs from a specific allocation of the TOT. The City collects a total of fourteen percent TOT based on gross room sales from the City’s hotels. One-seventh of the total TOT revenue Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
has been the basis of calculating the funding for the Tourism and Marketing budget in Beverly Hills for approximately 27 years.
The 2025 Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration is funded by the Tourism and Marketing budget (00101311) with TOT funds. Funding from TOT is available to cover the event funding request by the RDC up to $673,151. The FY 25/26 budget includes contingency funding for other Tourism & Marketing events and programs (including Holiday Lighting Celebration and Rodeo Drive Holiday Décor for Holidays 2025) in the amount of $1,170,691.
Using the current TOT budget estimate of $46,364,000 for FY 25/26, the one-seventh available funding would be approximately $6,623,000. In FY 25/26 this includes Councilapproved, recommended and to-be-determined funding for:
Description of Program to be Funded from
Tourism & Marketing Budget (TOT)
Prior Budget
Allocation FY
24/25
Potential Budget
Allocation FY
25/26
Intellectual Property Legal Services $100,000 $100,000
Conference & Visitors Bureau
Requested funding for FY 25/26
Work Plan
$4,987,891 $4,668,581
Rodeo Drive Committee
Requested funding for FY 25/26 Work
Plan
$197,998 $184,998
Portion of the Beverly Hills Chamber of
Commerce Work Plan
Requested funding for FY 25/26, including
additional funding
$173,245 $153,730
Landscape Funding for Rodeo Drive
Estimate as actual may vary
$30,000 $30,000
Concours D'Elegance in 2026
Estimate based on prior year $300,000 $315,000
Contingency Funding for other Tourism &
Marketing Events (including the Holiday
Lighting Celebration and Rodeo Drive Holiday
Décor for Holidays 2025)
$1,529,866 $1,170,691
Total $7,319,000 $6,623,000
The total $685,014 purchase order is based on the baseline Holiday Lighting Budget of $662,325, and the additional elements recommended by the Liaisons (as described in the Staff Report for September 16, 2025 Study Session) in the amount of $22,689.
The available TOT budget for the Holiday Lighting Celebration is $673,151.
Staff is requesting a purchase order in the amount of $685,014 funded as follows:
• $673,151 from TOT (00101311)
• $11,863 from CIP 0635 Citywide Lighting and Décor
Jeff Muir
Director of Finance
Keith Sterling
Deputy City Manager
Approved by Approved By
Attachment 1
STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Chad Lynn, Deputy Director of Special Projects, Public Safety Subject: Recommendation of the Beverly Hills City Council Liaison / Rodeo Drive/ Special Events/ Holiday Program Committee Regarding the 2025 Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration program, Rodeo Drive Holiday Banners and Seasonal Programming
Attachments: 1. Rodeo Drive Committee Proposal for Holiday Lighting Celebration 2025
2. Budget Slides from August 18 and September 11, 2025
Council Liaison Meetings
3. City Council Liaison Rodeo Drive/Special Events/Holiday Program Committee Report from September 11, 2025
(without Attachments)
INTRODUCTION
A recommendation of the Beverly Hills City Council Rodeo Drive / Special Events / Holiday Program Committee, Mayor Nazarian and Councilmember Friedman, regarding the Rodeo Drive Committee’s proposed Holiday Lighting Celebration Program and budget approval of $750,014, including $662,325 for the baseline program, $22,689 in additional recommended elements, $52,500 in one-time capital costs for acquisition of an audio system for Rodeo Drive, and $12,500 for the installation, maintenance, removal and storage of the audio system.
DISCUSSION
Each year the City sponsors a signature holiday program designed to celebrate the season and attract visitors from around the region to shop, dine and stay in Beverly Hills.
On July 1, 2025, the Beverly Hills City Council reviewed and approved the proposal from the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) for the 2025 Holiday Décor elements, themed “Enchanted Holiday Dreams.”
This overview is specific to the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration, proposed for Thursday, November 13, 2025 (Attachment 1). This includes the overall program elements, street closures, approval of sponsorships, City labor and fee waivers, the associated budget and Rodeo Drive Holiday Banners.
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
The historic cost of the Holiday Lighting Celebration going back to 2022 has ranged from $904,000 to $1.03 million, and is traditionally funded from Transient Occupant Tax (TOT). For comparison, last year’s Holiday Lighting Celebration was approved at $1,028,966. If the cost of materials and operations is estimated to escalate by 8% for the 2025 year, the estimated cost of production would be approximately $1.1 million. Based on the current estimated reduction of TOT, the available TOT funding for the 2025 Holiday Lighting Celebration is $673,151, leaving an estimated deficit of $438,132 to fund a historically similar production.
Program Elements
On August 18, 2025 the Committee reviewed the initial proposal from the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) for the Holiday Lighting Celebration which exceeded the available budget for this program. At the direction of the Liaisons, the RDC returned to the Committee on September 11, 2025 with a baseline proposal within the available budget and included fundamental elements outlined by the Liaisons and preferred by the RDC.
Fundamental elements include the following:
• A commitment to site safety and security
• A main stage with performances and interactive street performers leading up to and surrounding the holiday lighting
• Backdrops for photos and social media
• A Santa and Fireworks show and finale
• Proper Infrastructure and Production Elements
o Generators
o Heavy Equipment and Anchors
o Overnight Site Security
o Signage
o Cleaning Services and Restrooms
After an iterative process of proposal, reviews, reductions, and replacements, the RDC provided a proposal that included these elements and remained within the baseline available TOT budget. Attachment 2 illustrates the progressive process undertaken by the Liaisons and RDC, with multiple and continuous updates to the program elements leading up to the final recommendations.
After reviewing and modifying the program to meet the budgetary restriction, the RDC remained committed that four additional elements, which were removed from the original proposal based on prioritization of the fundamental program elements, were essential to produce an event that meets the Rodeo Drive experience and luxury standard. These elements are as follows:
• IMAG Camera Package and Operation
• Content Video Monitors and Operations (Requires IMAG Camera Package) o Reduced from 13 to 8 Units
• Two (2) Wine Gardens
• Extended Audio Programming for the Holiday Season (Non-Event Day Audio) o Holiday music played along the sidewalk on Rodeo Drive Wine Gardens
The RDC was able to secure sponsorships for the wine gardens from two local business:
AutoVault and Geary’s. In exchange for their sponsorship, it is requested the business names and logos be displayed at the wine gardens along with the Rodeo, City and event logos. These program elements will be cost neutral to the event budget.
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
At the direction of the Liaisons, the RDC is continuing to seek sponsorship opportunities beyond the wine gardens.
Extended Audio Programming
Currently, there are sidewalk speakers installed for the duration of the holiday season on Brighton, Dayton, N. Beverly and N. Canon. This system plays holiday music from the November 13th event until approximately the first week of January starting at 11am daily.
Separately, the historic Holiday Lighting Celebration has an audio system for both the lighting ceremony and for eight (8) weeks of holiday music on Rodeo Drive located in the center median which has a playlist specially curated for Rodeo Drive. The RDC considers this a fundamental element of the ongoing program.
As an alternative to the historic center median audio system, it is proposed the City transition the Rodeo Drive audio programing from the Holiday Lighting Celebration program (and budget) to the Citywide Lighting and Décor CIP administered by Public Works. Transitioning this program would be accomplished by expanding the existing audio system to Rodeo Drive. There is a one-time capital cost for the acquisition of the audio system of $52,500 which includes an audio patch to allow for Rodeo Drive to curate and play music separately from the existing City system1. There is an ongoing, annual cost of $12,500 for the installation, maintenance, removal, and storage. The total first year cost of the system would be $65,000.
Although this transition carries an up-front capital investment by the City, it has a small savings in year two and an ongoing, growing savings for each additional year of service compared to the current cost of a center median audio system. Although the system is not as robust and flexible as the system traditionally used for the Holiday Lighting Celebration2, the RDC has committed to its use for at least two years to ensure cost recovery by the City. If the system continues to be used in years 3-5, additional cost savings would be realized. Estimated costs and savings, including cumulative savings over multiple years, and are represented in the chart below:
Estimated Annual Cost and Savings3
Year Historic Cost Proposed Cost Annual
Savings
Cumulative
Savings
1 $40,000 $65,500 ($25,500) ($25,500)
2 $40,000 $12,500 $27,500 $2,000
3 $40,000 $12,500 $27,500 $29,500
4 $40,000 $12,500 $27,500 $57,000
5 $40,000 $12,500 $27,500 $84,500
Camera and Monitors
The location of the stage with the main programing is capable of supporting a viewing crowd (shoulder to shoulder) gathered around the stage of approximately 1,200 people.
At the peak of the holiday lighting celebration, there can be between 5,000 and 10,000 1 This system would be capable of either playing the music played throughout the City or take a separate audio source.
2 This system would NOT replace the audio system for the actual event, however it would reduce the use of that system to event day only.
3 Based on straight-line cost assumptions without differential cost escalations. Since labor is the majority of cost in the historic cost and capital is the majority of cost in the proposed cost, this is the most conservative method for estimating cost savings.
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
people in attendance along Rodeo Drive. In order to ensure guests are able to see the show along the full span of Rodeo Drive and are not encouraged to crowd the stage area, it is recommended that a minimum of eight (8) monitors (reduced from historical 13) be provided throughout Rodeo Drive for viewing and balancing the crowd throughout Rodeo Drive. Although not the primary reason for the inclusion of this program element, once present, the monitors are also capable of displaying event information and QR codes for local businesses and restaurants.
The cost of adding these elements to the production is $22,689 which includes $9,975 for the camera(s) and $12,714 for the monitor system. This includes the installation, cabling, syncing, securing, operation, and removal of the system.
In addition to funding, the proposal from the RDC includes a standard request for the City to waive or absorb several fees. Those include soft costs of permits and hard costs for labor, including police, fire, and public works. The total estimated cost for fee waivers and personnel is anticipated to be approximately $70,000 based on the current fees schedule and historic costs. The requested waivers include contingency funding for added closures and/or security. Out of an abundance of caution, over the past year, the City has occasionally increased its historic deployment based on global and regional events that may occur around the time of an event. Although not anticipated, staff is including potential contingency costs for this deployment.
Street Closures
Preparation, production and striking of the program requires street closures. The Liaison committee is recommending street closures supported by the RDC and consistent with the historic closures related to this event from Wednesday, November 12 at 9pm until Friday, November 14 at 6am as follows:
• Rodeo Drive from S. Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire • Dayton Way from Rodeo Drive to the alleyways to the East and West • Brighton Way from Rodeo Drive to the alleyways to the East and West • Access to the Rodeo Collection Garage on the 400 block will be discussed with impacted tenants
• Access to the City’s Brighton Garage and Two Rodeo Garage will be maintained through the alleyways.
Banners
Three options related to Rodeo street-pole banners were presented to the Liaisons at the August 18th meeting. Based on feedback from the Liaisons, the RDC presented two updated options at the September 11th meeting. With feedback and direction from the Liaisons at the meeting on the 11th, the RDC will present a single version of the banners incorporating components from all of the options, including the colors, ornamental background elements, foreground and lettering colors, and a modified nutcracker (updated facial expression) based on the actual nutcracker design that is part of the Holiday Décor program.
Consistent with prior years, a total of 28 banners will be installed along Rodeo Drive, with 20 positioned on the center median and 8 along the sidewalk. Consistent with the historical practice, the City will assumed responsibility for funding the cost of these banners outside of the event budget.
Promoting the Event
The Rodeo Drive Committee as well as the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau, the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Beverly Hills, will be planning and executing a coordinated marketing plan that includes social, digital, and print media Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
for the entire holiday season related to the Holiday Lighting Celebration, décor and special programing.
Holiday Décor Update
The Citywide holiday décor, administer by Public Works, and separate from the Rodeo Drive holiday décor program, has been reviewed by the City Council Liaison and the only change was to use warm white lights in the existing spans on Brighton Way instead of colored lights. All other décor will remain the same and no additional funding was needed.
Rodeo Drive Holiday décor has been ordered and is in the process of fabrication. At the July 1, 2025 Study Session approval for this décor, a question was asked about consideration of an 18’ nutcracker, 4’ diameter ornaments and the potential to donate the used elements to a ‘sister city’. With respect to the nutcracker, based on the unit cost, specialized packing, transportation, and installation anchoring, this nutcracker was not economically feasible and presented a challenge at the intended location(s). Regarding the ornaments, four-foot by four-foot ornaments were available; however, in addition to the cost being three-times the cost of 36” ornaments, the required footprint for mounting on the four-foot-wide median platforms impacted the space left for other design elements.
Following up on donation opportunities, the City’s production company has identified a 501c3 organization that will be screened to potentially work with for current and future donation opportunities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the Rodeo Drive Holiday décor, as well as the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration, comes from TOT. The City has maintained a policy of funding its tourism and marketing programs from a specific allocation of the TOT. The City collects a total of fourteen percent TOT based on gross room sales from the City’s hotels. One-seventh of the total TOT revenue has been the basis of calculating the funding for the Tourism and Marketing budget in Beverly Hills for approximately 27 years.
Using the current TOT budget estimate of $46,364,000 for FY 25/26, the one-seventh available funding would be approximately $6,623,000. In FY 25/26 this includes Councilapproved, recommended and to-be-determined funding for:
Description of Program to be Funded
from Tourism & Marketing Budget (TOT)
Prior Budget
Allocation FY
24/25
Potential Budget
Allocation FY
25/26
Intellectual Property Legal Services $100,000 $100,000
Conference & Visitors Bureau
Requested funding for FY 25/26
Work Plan
$4,987,891 $4,668,581
Rodeo Drive Committee
Requested funding for FY 25/26 Work
Plan
$197,998 $184,998
Portion of the Beverly Hills Chamber of
Commerce Work Plan
Requested funding for FY 25/26, including
additional funding
$173,245 $153,730
Landscape Funding for Rodeo Drive
Estimate as actual may vary
$30,000 $30,000
Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
Concours D'Elegance in 2026
Estimate based on prior year $300,000 $315,000
Contingency Funding for other Tourism &
Marketing Events (including the Holiday
Lighting Celebration and Rodeo Drive
Holiday
Décor for Holidays 2025)
$1,529,866 $1,170,691
Total $7,319,000 $6,623,000
At the City Council meeting of July 1, 2025, the City Council approved $497,969 for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Décor program, leaving $673,151 remaining of the budgeted $1,170,691 contingency funding for the Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration.
Based on historic costs, cost for a similar full production is estimated at $1,111,283, for a total anticipated cost of Décor and Celebration of $1,609,252, leaving a funding gap of $438,132 for a traditional 2025 program.
Based on the Liaison recommended program, the requested budget would be as follows:
• $685,014 for the recommended program
o $662,325 Baseline recommended program
o $22,689 Enhanced program elements (Camera and Monitors) • $65,000 for the transition of the extended audio program o $52,500 one-time cost for the acquisition of the system ▪ $49,500 for acquisition of the speakers, transmitters and equipment ▪ $3,000 for acquisition of the audio patch for unique audio input o $12,500 ongoing cost of installation, maintenance, removal and storage Funding for the Holiday Lighting Celebration program as recommended would be as follows:
• $673,151 from TOT (00101311)
• $11,863 from CIP 0635 Citywide Lighting and Décor
Funding for the transition of the Rodeo Drive extended holiday audio program would be as follows:
• $65,000 from CIP 0635 Citywide Lighting and Décor
o $12,500 in ongoing installation, maintenance, removal and storage fees will remain in the Citywide Lighting and Décor program or its successor The total funding request for the recommended program, including the Holiday Lighting Celebration and the first-year costs associated with the transition of the extended Rodeo Drive holiday audio program is $750,014; this is $76,863 more than the available TOT funding available which will be paid using CIP 0635 - Citywide Lighting and Décor.
Additionally, staff is requesting a waiver of up to $70,000 in permit fee and labor costs associated with the event.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council:
• Approve the recommended banner design
• Approve the recommended street closures
• Approve the recommended baseline program, budget and funding for the event Meeting Date: September 16, 2025
• Approve the recommended budget and funding for the enhanced elements • Approve the transition plan for the extended audio program • Approve sponsorship of the two (2) wine gardens for the event o Direct the RDC to continue seeking sponsorship for the program and return to the City Council with specific opportunities and conditions • Approve the waiver of City permit fees and labor costs Jeff Muir
Director of Finance
Keith Sterling
Deputy City Manager
Approved By Approved By