SONJA K. BERNDT
Pasadena, CA 91107
June 5, 2022
Mayor Victor Gordo (vgordo(@cityofpasadena.net)
Vice Mayor Andy Wilson ([email protected])
Councilmember Tyron Hampton ( [email protected]) Councilmember John Kennedy ([email protected]) Councilmember Steve Madison ( [email protected]) Councilmember Gene Masuda ( [email protected]) Councilmember Jessica Rivas ([email protected]) Councilmember Felicia Williams ([email protected]) [email protected]
Pasadena, California
2022 JUN -6 AH g: 08
Re: 6/6/2022 City Council Meeting Agenda # 1: Rose Bowl Operating Company Proposed FY2023 Operating Budget: and #2: Consideration of RBOC's Five-Year Strategic Initiatives Dear Mayor Gordo and Members of the City Council:
A. Introduction
I have been a resident of Pasadena for 19 years. I write to express my deep concern about the City's past payments toward the massive debt on the Rose Bowl and to strongly urge the City Council to commit to NOT spending any more funds from our General Fund or from our fund reserves to pay the debt. While the City is ultimately responsible for paying the debt if the RBOC cannot do so, the Council needs to ensure that the City and the RBOC work wisely and urgently to address the RBOC's financial crisis.
There are passionate views on all sides of the Rose Bowl's financial predicament. Some take the position that the Rose Bowl must be saved at all cost. But I do not believe that the majority of our residents would support our City's continued draining of our General Fund and fund reserves to cover the Rose Bowl debt if it meant a decrease in City services.
In considering the RBOC's proposed strategic initiatives, our community deserves an honest, frank, and thorough public discussion of the various suggested options for increasing the RBOC's revenue and the cost to our residents if the RBOC is unsuccessful. Additionally, our community deserves the City's urgency and transparency on this critical matter.
B. Rose Bowl Debt History
For several years prior to 2016, the Rose Bowl underwent a massive multi-phase renovation project, financed primarily through bonds. The renovation included 54 luxury suites, 48 loge 1 06/06/2022
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