Circus folks tame council's fee plan
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

After Ringling Bros. refused to jump through Thousand Oaks' hoops when it came to paying the city higher concession rates, the City Council voted unanimously, 5-0, not to crack the whip.

Effective last July 1, the City Council voted to raise user fees for lobby concessions from 12 percent to 20 percent in an effort to reduce general fund subsidies to the theaters at the Civic Arts Plaza.

When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey brought "Disney Live!" to Thousand Oaks in September, the company paid a 12 percent fee on all the concessions and items like Tshirts, coffee mugs and toys sold in the lobby. Had Ringling Bros. paid the newly adopted 20 percent user fee, an additional $2,000 in revenue would have been gained by the city, a report said.

The organization refused to bring the show to the Civic Arts Plaza if it had to pay the increase, and without the show the loss to the city would have been much greater than $2,000. According to a city report, in 2006 Ringling Bros. brought in about $60,000 in rent, labor and ticket sales.

Theater management didn't want to lose the organization's business because they provide first-rate, nationally recognized entertainment at no financial risk, the report said.

"In order to retain this business, theater management is recommending that the concession commission rate for the performance by Ringling Bros. be reduced to 12 percent," said Tom Mitze, director of the city's community and cultural services department.

The City Council agreed but wondered how the decision would affect other groups at the theater that also wouldn't want to pay the higher fee.

Mitze said he would come back to the council with new recommendations for all groups.