ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: Economic Development Item No: D1
Prepared by: Larry Vaupel, Director Meeting Date: March 11, 2025 Approved by:
Imelda Huerta, Assistant City Manager
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion
SUBJECT: AVO THEATER ADVISORY STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION: Receive the recommendation of the AVO Theater Advisory Stakeholder Committee and provide direction to staff.
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Economic Development and Parks and Recreation.
PRIOR ACTIONS: On March 26, 2024, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2024-38, establishing a temporary advisory stakeholder committee for the Avo Theater (Vote: 5-0).
On February 27, 2024, adopted City Council Resolution 2024-26, approving the acceptance of General Fund Grant GP2325-0 City of Vista, for the AVO Playhouse Rehabilitation & ADA Upgrades Project and directed staff to create a stakeholder group and utilize a Request for Proposal process (Vote: 5-0).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: The purpose of the committee was to investigate, discuss, and recommend to the City Council ways to increase the use of the AVO Playhouse/Theater (AVO), located at 303 Main Street, as an economic and cultural resource for the City of Vista. The committee was tasked with performing public outreach, soliciting public input, and facilitating stakeholder discussions around increasing opportunities at the AVO.
The AVO Theater Stakeholder Advisory Committee included the following representatives:
• Tw
o CVBID Advisory Board Members;
• Two downtown business owners not on the CVBID Advisory Board; • One current user of the AVO Playhouse/Theater;
• Two non-profits/arts/foundations members or officers; • One member of the Parks and Recreation Commission;
• One member of the Public Arts Commission; and
• One City of Vista staff member.
The com
mittee met four times over the last 12-months. During these meetings, the committee:
• Int
erviewed three owners/operators of theaters located in Oceanside and Fallbrook; • Toured the AVO to study its current condition;
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
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MEETING DATE: March 11, 2025 PAGE 2
SUBJECT: AVO THEATER ADVISORY STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION • Directed staff to create a list of deferred maintenance items and upgrades (attached); and • Reviewed the list of maintenance items and upgrades to make a recommendation to the City Council.
A
fter a robust and thorough discussion, the committee unanimously approved the following recommendation.
That
the City Council perform the required deferred maintenance and upgrades totaling $1,296,500, with a contingency, to transform the AVO Playhouse/Theater into a modern, attractive, multi-use event theater destination to draw visitors downtown, increase the number of rentals, and provide a venue for our local talent. That staff utilize the available funding (previously allocated year-end fund balance) to offset rental fees for non-profit hosted events, allowing them to raise funds while benefiting the community; and that the City Council consider the cost of deferred maintenance and upgrades in the upcoming budget cycle, year end fund balance discussion, and grant applications.
F
ISCAL IMPACT: The current estimated cost to perform the deferred maintenance items and upgrades is $1,296,500. Staff will return to City Council to discuss funding pending direction provided to staff.
E
XHIBITS:
1. AVO Theater improvements and needs assessment
2. AVO Theater Advisory Stakeholder Committee minutes for January 23, 2025, August 7, 2024, June 27, 2024, and May 30, 2024 meetings.
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Item Cost Estimate
Sign Tower needs to be replaced 300,000$
Seating area Curved Ceiling – Need new ceiling tiles 250,000$ Front doors – Main front doors need to be replaced 60,000$ Fire Alarm system replaced 25,000$
Upstairs subflooring needs to be replaced. 15,000$
Replace Marquee with digital 70,000$
Roof replacement 100,000$
Repaint exterior 8,000$
Replace ceiling lights in seating area with LED 20,000$ Paint mesh panels black, above front of stage near the ceiling. 1,500$ Replace carpet in lobby and aisles in seating area 15,000$ Re-stain exterior concrete, paint planter vases and capstones on wall 5,000$ Replace exterior hanging globe lights with LED 8,000$
Remove wall art hanging system and lights from walls of lobby -$ Repaint lobby. Same color scheme 4,000$
Replace seating 175,000$
Sound 60,000$
Lighting upgraded to dimmable LED 120,000$
Video 60,000$
Total 1,296,500.00$
Already Funded Items
Sewer Line 70,000$
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EXHIBIT 1
AVO Committee
Meeting Minutes
Location: Morris B. Vance Community Room, 200 Civic Center Drive Jan
uary 23, 2025
4:00-5:00 pm
I. Welcome and Purpose
II. Call to order: Meeting called to order at 4:01 pm
Name Organization Title Attendee Status
Larry Vaupel City of Vista Economic Development
Director
Present
Mike Pacheco City of Vista Recreation & Community
Services Director
Present
Mike Bradford City of Vista Community Services Program
Manager
Absent
Faye Gray City of Vista Economic Development
Specialist
Present
Jim Ellis The Film Hub Co-Founder Present
Jennifer Bradford Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Executive Director Present
Kathy Brombacher Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Founder and Artistic Director-
Emeritus
Present
Jaydon Sterling-
Randall
Parks &
Recreation
Commission
Commissioner Absent
Kyle Adams Prohibition
Brewing (Vista
Chamber of
Commerce)
Owner Present
Kari Jobe Public Arts
Commission
Commissioner Present
Traci Lawson Public Lemon Owner Present
Natalie Trevino Twice on Main
Street
Owner Present
Guest Attendees:
Imelda Huerta City of Vista Assistant City Manager Present III. Review Needs Assessment
• S ign T ower complete replacemen t is needed, as retrofitting or replacing bulbs is not feasible due to contractors' safety concerns and difficulties sourcing the appropriate bulbs 03/11/2025
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EXHIBIT 2
A
VO Committee
Minutes January 23, 2025
• P otential use of Assembly Member Davies funding for ADA upgrades to cover seating and flooring replacement
• Need identified for a comprehensive deep cleaning
IV. Discuss Short-term and Long-term Use Recommendations • R ecommendation to remain a children's venue for plays and entertainment, serving as a tool to promote socialization in schools, addressing concerns raised by teachers about social integration, and making it functional again.
• Mu lti -use recommendation, keeping the venue available for Moonlight Productions, school plays, dance academies, stand-up comedy, or screenings of 80s and 90s movies for teenagers.
Expanding its offerings will enhance its appeal for events like concerts, broadening its potential beyond just children's programming.
• O ption to either focus on affordability or enhance the venue’s appeal to justify a higher price • Appr opriate size for local talent or musicians who have a following • T wo floor plan areas require attention: second floor could be cleaned and renovated to accommodate seating; space behind stage is underutilized and could serve various purposes (storage for props, recording room, or other needs).
• L ack of designated dance area, h ow to build, and how it would affect seating • R ecommendation for a curved ADA ramp around sides of dance floor area with rails • H igh priority: seating replacement, some chairs are broken and unusable • Co nsider providing more space for patrons to allow dancing at their seats • Addi tional cleaning fees make it challenging for non- profits to cover costs. Consideration should be given to removing these fees.
• M inimum hourly requirements for non- profits result in some organizations paying for unused ho
urs.
• U tilize the funds set aside by Council to waive fees for non- profits, incentivizing them to activate the space and reduce financial risk to help kickstart activity • In stead of a feasibility study, test the concept over two years, evaluating event traction, ticket sales, attendee preferences, and market demand
V. Prioritize Improvements based upon Use Recommendations • Im provements should be reviewed and prioritized by Public Works Department • Ti ming of recommendation and budget schedule
• P rioritize the non- negotiable requirements
• P rioritize upgrades by retaining essential improvements and considering the removal of five less critical items. Assess whether certain upgrades, such as concrete re-staining or dimmable lighting, are necessary.
• Vi deo rear Projector use space requirements, versus video LED wall • H VAC upgrades verification with Public Works
• Pr oforma should be developed based on a projected number of event nights per year to determine the payback period for this investment
• M arketing budget is needed to add dedicated marketing staff to raise awareness of the venue’s availability and assist with event marketing
• Al low sales through VisTix and use of their ticketing system • C ity Communications marketing limitations and expectations 03/11/2025
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A
VO Committee
Minutes January 23, 2025
• C ommunication regarding rental fee offset information • P otential addition of a restaurant or kitchen
C
onsensus to recommend that the City Council approve the required deferred maintenance and upgrades totaling $1,296,500, with a contingency, to transform the venue into a modern, attractive, multi-use event theater destination to help draw visitors downtown, increase rentals, and provide a venue for our local talent. We will use the funds already allocated to offset rental fees for non-profit hosted events, allowing them to raise funds while benefiting the community.
VI. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 4:57 pm
F
aye Gray, City of Vista, Economic Development Specialist 03/11/2025
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AVO Committee
Meeting Minutes
Location: AVO Playhouse, 303 Main Street
A
ugust 7, 2024
4:00-5:30 pm
I. Welcome and Purpose
Name Organization Title Attendee Status
Larry Vaupel City of Vista Economic Development
Director
Present
Mike Pacheco City of Vista Recreation & Community
Services Director
Present
Mike Bradford City of Vista Community Services Program
Manager
Absent
Faye Gray City of Vista Economic Development
Specialist
Present
Jim Ellis The Film Hub Co-Founder Absent (arrived at 5:30 pm)
Jennifer Bradford Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Executive Director Present
Kathy Brombacher Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Founder and Artistic Director-
Emeritus
Present
Jaydon Sterling-
Randall
Parks &
Recreation
Commission
Commissioner Present
Kyle Adams Prohibition
Brewing (Vista
Chamber of
Commerce)
Owner Present
Kari Jobe Public Arts
Commission
Commissioner Present
Traci Lawson Public Lemon Owner Present
Natalie Trevino Twice on Main
Street
Owner Present
Guest Attendees:
Imelda Huerta City of Vista Assistant City Manager Present II. AVO Playhouse Tour and Discussion
• M ike Pacheco and Jennifer Bradford led a tour of the AVO Playhouse. Potential and/or recommended upgrades were discussed (chairs, plumbing). 03/11/2025
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AVO Committee
Minutes August 7, 2024
• SWOT Analysis Discussion
• Discussion to perform analysis of costs to update and modernize the AVO Playhouse, taking into consideration resources already available (Public Works). Once analysis is complete, draft report to advise Council to include below AVO Committee recommendations. • Discuss recommendation to request from Council $250,000 contribution out of Year End Fund Balance account to assist in covering update costs.
• Discuss the potential recommendation to fund a full-time staff person to handle advertising, marketing, and programming of the AVO Playhouse.
III. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 5:30 pm
IV. Next meeting
• Thursday, January 23, 2025
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Faye Gray, City of Vista, Economic Development Specialist
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AVO Committee
Meeting Minutes
Location: Microsoft Teams
June 27, 2024
3:00-4:30 pm
I. Welcome and Purpose
Name Organization Title Attendee Status
Larry Vaupel City of Vista Economic Development
Director
Present
Mike Pacheco City of Vista Recreation & Community
Services Director
Present
Mike Bradford City of Vista Community Services Program
Manager
Absent
Faye Gray City of Vista Economic Development
Specialist
Present
Jim Ellis The Film Hub Co-Founder Absent
Jennifer Bradford Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Executive Director Present
Kathy Brombacher Moonlight
Cultural
Foundation
Founder and Artistic Director-
Emeritus
Absent
Jaydon Sterling-
Randall
Parks &
Recreation
Commission
Commissioner Present
Kyle Adams Prohibition
Brewing (Vista
Chamber of
Commerce)
Owner Present
Kari Jobe Public Arts
Commission
Commissioner Present
Traci Lawson Public Lemon Owner Present
Natalie Trevino Twice on Main
Street
Owner Absent
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AVO Committee
Minutes June 27, 2024
Guest Attendees:
John Conley City of Vista City Manager Present
Imelda Huerta City of Vista Assistant City Manager Present Terry Woods North County
Daily Star
(CVBID)
NC Daily Star Staff & CVBID
Board Member
Present
Tom (TR) Robertson North County
Daily Star
Columnist Present
Roy Moosa Fallbrook
Mission Theater
Owner Present
Alex Goodman Oceanside
Theatre Co.
Managing Director Present
Paul Friedman Star Theatre Co. Managing Director Present II. Discussion
• Th eater Operator Interviews: operators of similar theaters in the local area regarding their operations, rent, share revenues, and building ownership to understand how others are utilizing their theaters in their communities.
I
nterview Questions:
1. How did you come about owning/operating a theater?
2. How are you organized? For profit/non-profit? Revenue streams – grants, rentals?
3. What type of programming do you offer?
4. What improvements did you have to make to the theater to attract modern programing? Cost?
5. Any thoughts on the Avo Theater – types of programming/operations we should consider? I
nterview Schedule:
3:01-3:30 pm Alex Goodman, Managing Director, Oceanside Theatre Company 3:31-3:55 pm Paul Friedman, Managing Director, Star Theatre Company 3:56-4:13 pm Roy Moosa, Owner, Fallbrook Mission Theater • July’s proposed meeting agenda: Tour of the AVO Theatre, SWOT analysis discussion of AVO as a live entertainment venue (music, theater, cinema, comedy)
III. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 4:29 pm
IV. Next meeting
• Wednesday, August 7, 2024
4:00 - 5:30 pm
F
aye Gray, City of Vista, Economic Development Specialist 03/11/2025
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AVO Committee
Meeting Minutes
Location: Microsoft Teams
May
30, 2024
3:30-4:30 pm
I. Welcome, Purpose, and Member Introductions
Name Organization Title
Larry Vaupel City of Vista Economic Development Director Mike Pacheco City of Vista Recreation & Community Services Director Mike Bradford City of Vista Community Services Program Manager Faye Gray City of Vista Economic Development Specialist Jim Ellis The Film Hub Co-Founder
Jennifer Bradford Moonlight Cultural
Foundation
Executive Director
Kathy Brombacher Moonlight Cultural
Foundation
Founder and Artistic Director-Emeritus
Jaydon Sterling-Randall Parks & Recreation
Commission
Commissioner
Kyle Adams Prohibition Brewing
(Vista Chamber of
Commerce)
Owner
Traci Lawson Public Lemon Owner
Natalie Trevino Twice on Main Street Owner
Guest Attendees:
Terry Woods North County Daily
Star (CVBID)
NC Daily Star Staff & CVBID Board Member
Tom (TR) Robertson North County Daily
Star
Columnist
II. Discussion
• Overview of AVO operations since pandemic and 2024 schedule of events • Next month’s meeting agenda: interview operators of similar theaters in the area regarding their operations, rent, share revenues, building ownership to understand how others are utilizing their theaters in their communities.
• June’s proposed meeting agenda: SWOT analysis of AVO as a live entertainment venue (music, theater, cinema, comedy)
III. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 4:31 pm
IV. Next meeting
• Thursday, June 27, 2024
3:30 - 4:30 pm
F
aye Gray, City of Vista, Economic Development Specialist 03/11/2025
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