Cathedral City Page 1 of 2 Printed on 5/9/2023
Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 6.B
Meeting Date: May 10, 2023
From: Ryan Hunt, Communications and Events Manager
Title: Special Use Permit 2023-005 for 2023 Battle in the Desert RECOMMENDATION:
To approve Special Use Permit No. 2023-005 for the 2023 Battle in the Desert to be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023 in the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater.
BACKGROUND:
Produced by Jesus Gonzalez, an officer with the Cathedral City Police Department, the “Coachella Valley Battle in the Desert” is an annual amateur boxing tournament geared towards those who work in the public safety professions. The boxing event has occurred over the last five plus years and attracted hundreds of attendees in 2022, its first time inside the amphitheater. Mr. Gonzalez would like to conduct the boxing event again on Saturday, October 14, 2023, from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm. The event is sanctioned by USA Boxing, and it encourages law enforcement officers and public safety personnel to compete in the sport of boxing. Some of the proceeds generated go to local charities. The event will take place at the Community Amphitheater in Downtown Cathedral City.
DISCUSSION:
The boxing event is open to the public with paid admission. Food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages will be sold. Proceeds of the admission and concessions will benefit the organizer. The organizer is asking the City Council to sponsor the Special Use Permit application fee of $510.
Suggested conditions of the SUP would be the organizer show proof of a City business license, secure event insurance naming the City as an additional insured, allow the City attorney to review and make edits to liability waivers that must be signed by all boxing participants, and the organizer must show proof of all health permits for food and beverages as well as permits from the Alcohol Beverage Commission to sell alcohol. The organizer plans to request the restroom trailer or offer portable toilets in front of the parking garage. The amphitheater is fenced for alcohol and crowd control.
Although the permit states the event running until 11:00 p.m., the likelihood of it going past 10:00 p.m. is slim based on the previous years' end time. The first bout typically starts after 6 pm. All sound is geared to face inward towards the boxing ring which dramatically
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reduces noise issues. If the organizer decides to use the City’s sound and lighting equipment, then he would need to contract with the City’s preferred sound, light and stage operator that has exclusive control over city equipment and pay the associated costs.
The organizer would begin setting up for the event on Friday, October 13 and teardown would occur around midnight on Saturday, October 14, 2023. All equipment must be removed by Sunday, October 15, 2023. The organizer expects to attract up to 1,000 attendees.
Security will be handled by either CCPD officers, private security guards, or both.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Since this has become an annual city sponsored event, there is no rental fee charge to use the amphitheater. With it being in the amphitheater, much of the in-kind support provided by staff will be minimized with no need to use the city’s metal crowd control barriers. The organizer has previously done a great job cleaning up after the event.
ATTACHMENTS:
SUP 2023-005 Battle in the Desert