Landlord: City of Santa Monica
Premises: 370 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica CA 90401
Square Footage: Approximately 10,000 rentable square feet.
Licensee: Santa Monica Amusements (SMA) operates Pacific Park, the amusement park on the Santa Monica Pier. In addition to the rides, Pacific Park includes the midway games, retail shops, and the pier’s food court. SMA’s leadership team works from offices located on the Santa Monica Pier and represents over 200+ years of experience in the amusements, attractions, and entertainment sectors.
Since first opening the family-focused amusement park in 1996, SMA has committed to actively participating in the Santa Monica community through partnerships and programs with many non-profit and civic engagement groups. SMA is largest youth employer in Santa Monica.
Outside of Santa Monica, SMA has been a leader in the tour and travel trade providing advocacy to travel industry
organizations and building programs to support underserved communities and youth programs. SMA’s executive team
also plays an active role in local and state advocacy and community organizations currently filling 9 board and
committee positions.
Term: SMA is proposing, in line with the City’s request, a three (3) year term for the Licensing Agreement. It would be the
preference of SMA for the License to continue month to
month after the Term until the City determines its future use.
Option to Renew: No renewal options are available after a maximum initial Term of three (3) years).
Base Rental Rate: SMA recognizes the City is only seeking $10,000/month, or $120,000/year, however, SMA is committed to advancing the pier fund which benefits all pier users by offering
$25,000/month base rent. In addition, SMA is proposing an additional percentage rent of 10% of every dollar earned in the space above $1M. No carve outs are being requested for this additional rent. We project that the total financial benefit to the city to be in excess of $1.5M before preparations begin for the Olympics.
Use: SMA seeks to create a multi-use space to maximize
utilization for the widest possible range of Pier guests and community stakeholders. The proposed footprint includes 3 attractions and an outdoor exhibit space for a standing educational and cultural experience focused on Santa
Monica Pier’s history and cultural impact. This hybrid
operation of the 10,000 sq ft of boardwalk frontage will allow more representation of community stakeholders and
enjoyment of the space by a greater number of pier guests.
This concept would continue to provide an opportunity for Pier users to enjoy physical activities on the pier, but with more options for different age groups and experience levels.
The three attractions would include:
Rope Course - a 3,200 sq ft obstacle course engineered for guests aged 10 years and older. The course is being sourced by RCI Adventure Products, a leader in outdoor skills gyms and zip lines. Guests can choose from rope bridges and zip lines to navigate their way through this challenging
experience
Jr. Ropes Course - for guests under the age of 10, a shorter course will be erected next to the larger apparatus that is engineered for guests of all ages and skill levels
Climbing tower - in addition to the ropes courses, a 30 ft tall climbing tower will accommodate up to 4 participants at once who will be challenged with 3 different skill levels of climbing the tower.
Incorporated adjacent to the ropes and climbing courses will be an open space for guests to sit, watch participants on the attractions, and learn a little bit about the Santa Monica Pier.
This partially shaded outdoor exhibit space will provide opportunity to display photos, information, and artifacts from the Santa Monica Pier’s 114-year history. Inspired by the Santa Monica Pier History Museum pop-up curated by the
Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC) for Pier 360, this year-round exhibit space will be cleaned and maintained by SMA staff. Expanded possibilities include utilizing the exhibit space for seasonally thematic installations such as Dia de los Muertos, PRIDE, and Black History Month.
Licensee’s Minimum
Qualifications:
Over the 28 years of operation on the Pier, SMA has
exhibited a proven track record for safety, regularly
undergoing state inspections from CalOSHA. SMA’s staff are required to complete safety and training exercises on a weekly basis with senior staff members participating in enhanced safety programs and seminars every year.
SMA has been a close partner to both the City, pier tenants, and SMPC during times of prosperity, but also challenging times such as the recent Covid-19 related closures. SMA leadership has played an integral role in the pier community by way of the Santa Monica Pier Lessees Association
(SMPLA) and has exhibited a commitment to providing equal access, representation, and opportunity to all pier businesses no matter how large or small.
SMA meets and exceeds expectations for staffing meeting all state provided regulations on scheduling, compensation, and training for employees.
Licensee Improvements: Despite the limited 3-year term, SMA is prepared to invest an estimated $1,250,000 into the activation to execute this hybrid-use concept. This investment includes the purchase and installation of the ropes courses, design, seating, shade, infrastructure, and the build out of the exhibition space.
Commencement: Upon the following to be completed: (1) fully executed license between Landlord and Licensee, (2) Approval of required City of Santa Monica Entities (3) Licensee’s payment of required rent and security deposit as specified in the License, (4) Licensee obtaining necessary operating permits and
insurance, (5) Santa Monica Business License.
Delivery of the Premises: The Premises shall be delivered in broom clean in as is condition. Licensee shall be responsible for inspecting and ensuring the feasibility of the Premises for Licensee’s proposed Use.
Parking: All parking will be arranged by SMA at nearby municipal parking lots / structures.
Signage and Graphics: 370 Santa Monica Pier would be branded and operated separate of Pacific Park. SMA is exploring the name “Santa Monica Aerial Adventures” for this new experience with a separate sign and entry for the “Santa Monica Pier History Museum” exhibit area. However, these names and branding elements are working concepts and SMA invites feedback
and input from SMPC and other pier stakeholders. As part of the capital investment, appropriate supporting signage would be developed and installed to support the locations.
Security Deposit: One (1) month’s rent subject to Landlord review of Licensee’s financial information.
Additional Terms &
Conditions:
NA