STAFF REPORT
PARKS AND
RECREATION
DATE: October 4, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Marisa Garcia, Park, Recreation and Community Services Director By: Grace Coronado, Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Burbank Center Stage Facility – Interviews of Proposers and Approval to Commence Negotiations with an Operator for the Sublease, Management, and Operation of the Burbank Center Stage Facility
RECOMMENDATION
Review presentations and conduct interviews of all Burbank Center Stage (BCS) proposers and direct staff to commence negotiations with a City Council (Council) selected Operator for the Sublease, Management, and Operations of the BCS facility.
BACKGROUND
The BCS facility, located at 555 North Third Street, was developed in conjunction with the Burbank Town Center Mall (Mall) and is a vibrant center for educational, cultural, social, and recreational activities for the public. Offering opportunities for civic engagement, it has the potential to increase the quality of life and community cohesion in Burbank and be a catalyst for local economic growth.
Following a Request for Proposal (RFP) process, the Colony Theatre Company (CTC) has leased the BCS facility s ince March 2000. In late 2021, the City decided to move forward with a new competitive solicitation. The City’s most current short-term agreement with CTC expired July 31, 2023, CTC continues to operate BCS on a month -to-month basis until a new agreement is established, whether with CTC or a different operator.
At the August 22, 2023, Council meeting, staff presented Council with an overview of the current BCS process, the work performed vetting the three qualified proposers as well as concerns with continuing the process by staff and asked for Council’s direction (Attachment 1). Council directed staff to schedule a Special Meeting to allow Council the opportunity to publicly interview each BCS proposer and select an Operator for the facility.
2 The total scores resulting from staff evaluation of the proposals, the interview process, and references are outlined in Table 1:
Table 1
Proposer Phase 1
Proposal
(50 points)
Phase 2
Interviews
(50 points)
Phase 3
References
(Max 20 pts)
Total
Score
Burbank Community YMCA 37.08 41.17 20 98.25
The Greenhouse Arts & Media 35.17 41.83 20 97
The Colony Theatre Company 34.58 26.5 20 81.08
DISCUSSION
Per Council’s direction at the August 22 , 2023 meeting, a Special Meeting has been scheduled for October 4 , 2023 at 5:00 pm in the City Council Chamber to conduct 2nd round interviews for the three qualified BCS facility proposers.
The format of the Special Meeting is as follows:
• One minute public comment period at the start of the meeting. • One hour interview for each proposer.
o Proposers have 15 minutes to provide an overview of their proposal, followed by 45 minutes for Council interview.
o Interview questions were provided on Friday, September 22, 2023 to proposers, Council, and the community.
o Council will determine order of interviews by random drawing in real -time during the Special Meeting.
During the Council interview, the other two groups will wait in a nearby conference room.
• Council will deliberate at the conclusion of the three interviews, select a proposer, and direct staff to commence negotiations with the selected proposer.
The agenda, responsive proposals (Attachments 2-4), and the interview questions for the October 4, 2023 Special Meeting (Attachment 5) were made public and distributed to Council on September 22 , 2023 . Additionally, RFP related documents, including proposals, first and second round interview questions, and the August 22 , 2023 and October 4 , 2 023 staff report s were available on the City of Burbank’s website at www.burbankca.gov/BurbankCenterStageRFP .
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This activity involves administering an RFP for the Management, and Operation of the BCS facility and has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a re asonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment,
3 and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report. Fiscal impact is unknown until negotiations are finalized and approval brought back to Council at a later date.
CONCLUSION
By involving the Council in the decision-making process through an open forum, the City is demonstrating its dedication to transparency and impartiality. The Burbank Center Stage facility holds a special significance within the community. The RFP process, in conjunction with the Special Meeting, will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the future management and operations of the cherished BCS align closely with the shared vision of the community.
ATTACHMENTS
ATTACHMENT 1 – August 22, 2023 City Council Staff Report ATTACHMENT 2 – The Burbank Community YMCA Proposal
ATTACHMENT 3 – The Greenhouse Media & Arts Proposal
ATTACHMENT 4 – The Colony Theatre Company Proposal
ATTACHMENT 5 – Second Round Interview Questions