DATE:
November 1, 2022
TO:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Charles S. Bryant, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Appointing _____________ And ____________ To An Ad-Hoc Subcommittee For Planning The eSC eSkootr Championship: Emeryville Event And Authorizing The City Manager To Execute A Non-Binding Letter Of Intent To Negotiate An Event Hosting Agreement With WES Management
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council consider a presentation from representatives of WES Management regarding hosting an eSC eSkootr Championship Racing Series in Emeryville and adopt the above-entitled resolution establishing an ad-hoc subcommittee of the City Council to work with staff on planning for the event and authorize the City Manager to execute a non-binding Letter of Intent to negotiate an Event Hosting Agreement with WES Management for the event.
BACKGROUND
In September 2022, Mayor John Bauters contacted staff regarding communications he had with principals of WES Management Limited (“eSC”), an organization that promotes micromobility solutions through the production of the eSkootr Racing Series. The eSkootr Racing Series is the world’s first electric scooter racing series. The series currently includes 30 professional teams that ride high-performance electric scooters that reach speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour on tracks sited in urban areas, with tracks typically one-third to one-half mile in length.
The eSkootr Racing Series has produced races in London and Switzerland and is actively searching for a site for its inaugural event in the United States. The organization seeks partner host cities that share its values of sustainability, equity, accessibility, and safety, with an aim toward advancing sustainable micromobility transportation solutions. Given these objectives, eSC indicated a strong interest in partnering with the City of Emeryville to produce its inaugural United States race in fall 2023, with additional races annually in 2024 and 2025.
According to eSC, eSkootr Championship Race events draw over 10,000 attendees with an average expenditure of $60 per person in food and beverage and 16,000 hotel room stays. Approximately half of attendees are expected to be from out-of-state or international locales, making hosting of an eSC race a potential economic development opportunity for the City.
At the October 18, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Bauters requested, and received, majority support from the City Council for a future agenda item to consider a potential eSkootr Championship Event in Emeryville.
DISCUSSION
Staff has invited eSC principals to provide a presentation to the City Council on November 1, 2022. A preliminary review of the materials provided by eSC indicate that the organization’s values of inclusivity, accessibility and sustainability align with City policy, and the concept of an event that promotes sustainable, equitable transportation is supported by a variety of City policies, including:
General Plan:
Goal T-G-1 a comprehensive transportation system— A transportation system that is efficient, safe, removes barriers (e.g., accessibility near freeways and rail lines), and optimizes travel by all modes.
Goal T-G-2 Universally accessible— A transportation system that meets the needs of all segments of the population, including youth, seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income households.
Goal T-G-3 Multi-modal— A transportation system that eliminates the necessity of owning and/or driving personal vehicles because of the availability of convenient and accessible alternative modes of transportation.
Economic Development Strategy
Overall Objective – Achieve economic development goals through the lens of Art and Innovation.
Marketing | Promotion Area, Experiential Topic, Action: Produce an annual signature event.
Draft Active Transportation Plan
The Draft Active Transportation Plan, while not yet adopted policy, includes micromobility as a multimodal focus area.
Hosting an eSkootr Championship Race is a unique opportunity to raise the City’s profile with an international audience through an event and organization that is aligned with City policy and values while also creating economic activity for local businesses.
To host the eSKootr Championship Race, an Event Hosting Agreement is required that sets forth the obligations and benefits to be apportioned between the City and eSC. A non-binding Letter of Intent (Exhibit A to the draft resolution) has been negotiated between the parties to establish the parties’ intent to negotiate an Event Hosting Agreement and outline the broad parameters of the potential agreement. Staff recommends that the City Council establish an ad-hoc subcommittee to work with staff on planning the eSC eSkootr Championship event and to negotiate the Event Hosting Agreement. Staff also recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the non-binding Letter of Intent between the City and eSC.
FISCAL IMPACT
Establishment of the ad-hoc subcommittee and execution of the non-binding Letter of Intent has no direct fiscal impact. The fiscal impact of the Event Hosting Agreement will depend upon the outcome of the negotiations. The City will expend staff resources in the course of negotiating the Event Hosting Agreement; the amount of staff time required to do so is uncertain at this time.
STAFF COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC
None.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution establishing an ad-hoc subcommittee of the City Council to work with staff on planning for the eSC eSkootr Championship Race Event in Emeryville and authorizing the City Manager to execute a non-binding Letter of Intent with eSC regarding negotiation of an Event Hosting Agreement.
PREPARED BY: Chadrick Smalley, Deputy Director of Community Development
APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Draft Resolution, Including Exhibit A – Non-binding Letter of Intent eSC eSkootr Championship Event – Letter of Intent
City Council Meeting | November 1, 2022
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM