[00:00:08]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE MUSIC COMMISSION AT 6 51.AND, UH, WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, BUT IT HAS BEEN SOLVED.
IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT, AND SO GOOD JOB EVERYBODY.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSION MEMBER TONIGHT, AND SO HE'S PASSED THE FIRST TEST, WHICH IS
SO, SHANE BARTEL, I DON'T, UH, WELCOME, UH, THANK YOU.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND I'M GONNA HAVE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANNA SAY.
SO WE HAVE ON THE DIAS TONIGHT IN CITY HALL COUNTS.
UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS GOT LAUREN GOLD, MYSELF, ANNE CHARLOTTE PATTERSON, WARREN ROSENTHAL, AND SCOTT STRICKLAND.
TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, VICE CHAIR META CHARLA, AND WE HAVE OUR NEWEST COMMISSION MEMBER SHANE BARTEL, REPRESENTING DISTRICT FOUR.
HE'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAS, NEW APPOINTEE.
AND, UM, YEAH, TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
I KNOW YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, BUT TELL US I AM A LITTLE MORE.
WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, FIRST OFF, MY, UH, IT WAS MY FULL INTENTION TO BE THERE.
UH, I'M COUNCIL CHAMBERS TONIGHT, AND I, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS ABOUT KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE COMMISSION IS.
I'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, A LOT OF BACKGROUND ACTUALLY, AND SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR ME TO JUST SIT BACK AND HELP AND KIND OF WATCH.
BUT YEAH, I PLAY MUSIC FOR A LIVING, UM, FOR, I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR, UH, DO I HAVE TO REALLY TELL YOU HOW LONG? YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL US ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS.
UH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ANYBODY THAT.
UH, AND I'M VERY INTERESTED, AND I THINK I HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, UH, VIS-A-VIS, UM, UM, COMMUNICATION.
SO, UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UH, PUTTING UP WITH ME AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, I'LL HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS.
OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU, SHANE.
AND, UM, YEAH, YOU'LL GET UP TO SPEED QUICKLY.
WE'RE, WE'RE AN ACTIVE, COLLABORATIVE, ENGAGED COMMISSION.
UH, SO I, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL FIT RIGHT IN AND, UH, YOU'LL LEARN ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER REALLY FAST, BUT ALSO
THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PIECE OF COMMISSIONER NEWS.
UH, COMMISSIONER NA, MET CHARLA IS ALSO SERVING ON THE ARTS COMMISSION, SO WE'VE GOT DUAL CITIZENSHIP GOING ON THERE.
UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS VO ON BEING THE MAYOR'S APPOINTEE, BUT, UH, VOLLEY WILL BE STAYING WITH US ON MUSIC AS WELL, UH, FORTUNATELY.
AND THEN SATURN NEWS, WE HAVE SOME COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE LEFT US, UM, DUE TO TERM LIMITS AND JUST CHANGEOVER.
IS IT? COUNCIL, IT'S TOTALLY NORMAL.
UM, JUST KIND OF PART OF THE, PART OF THE PROCESS HERE.
SO, CHRIS LEE MO, WHO, UH, SERVED FOR DISTRICT THREE, UH, HE HAS LEFT THE COMMISSION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATED CHRIS A LOT.
HE HAD DEEP ROOTS IN, UH, EAST AUSTIN.
HIS COMMUNITY TIES WERE A HUGE ASSET TO HIM AS A COMMISSION MEMBER.
AND, UH, ALSO HE WAS A, A BIG HELP WITH, UM, THE ADA COMPLIANCE, UM, ISSUES AND HOW TO WORK, HOW TO WORK WITH BI LARGE AND SMALL VENUES ON THAT.
SO HE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THAT WITH COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL.
UM, GRAHAM REYNOLDS, UH, WHO IS THE MAYOR'S APPOINTEE HAS TURNED OUT, AND GRAHAM WAS SUCH A HELP TO US IN SO MANY WAYS ON THIS COMMISSION, BUT PARTICULARLY FOR HIS UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, NOT JUST COMMISSION PROCESS, BUT CITY PROCESS.
THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN WE WOULD BE SPINNING OUR WHEELS A LITTLE BIT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TACKLE AN ISSUE.
AND HE ALWAYS HAD SOLUTIONS FOR US THAT WERE ELEGANT AND EFFICIENT.
AND, UM, HE JUST ALSO HAD A, A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS.
SO, UH, IT'S, HE LEAVES A BIG HOLE, BUT HE ASSURES ME THAT HE, UM, I CAN CALL HIM, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, I WON'T CALL HIM DURING A MEETING, GRANDMA WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOU, BUT, BUT THAT I CAN CALL HIM IF WE GET STUCK ON THINGS.
UH, AND THEN LAST OF ALL, UH, WE ARE LOSING GAVIN GARCIA.
AGAIN, JUST SO MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, UM,
[00:05:01]
BOTH, UM, FROM THE CITY LEVEL AND ALSO I WANTED TO SAY GRAHAM, OF COURSE, WELL-KNOWN MUSICIAN, LIKE A, A GREAT DEAL OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MUSIC COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY.SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT, UH, THE COMMUNITY, THE INDUSTRY, UM, AND HOW TO WORK WITH CITI.
GAVIN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT IN A WIDER SENSE, REALIZE THAT, THAT GAVIN WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CONCEPT OF A LIVE MUSIC FUND AND HOW TO PULL THAT FROM HOT, FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
THAT SEEMS LIKE SUCH AN OBVIOUS IDEA, BUT, UM, WHEN IT, THE FIRST GROUP OF PEOPLE BROUGHT THAT FORTH, IT WAS A VERY HEAVY LIFT.
SO A LOT OF GRA GRATITUDE TO GAVIN FOR THAT.
AND ALSO, UM, FOR ADVANCING IDEAS ABOUT, UH, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
SO, UM, I WILL MISS YOU A BUNCH ON THE COMMISSION, GAVIN, BUT I KNOW THAT HE WILL STILL BE, UH, SENDING ME SILLY GIFTS BY TIFF, BY TEXT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, ALRIGHT, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THOSE WELCOMES AND GOODBYES AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO, UM, OH, ALSO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
GO SEE BANDS THAT YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN A GENRE THAT YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE.
SO THAT'S EVERYBODY FOR THE WHOLE TOWN.
AND SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY GENERAL CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY.UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE MINUTES THAT KIM EMAILED OVER.
I DID TAKE A LOOK AND THEY LOOK GREAT AS ALWAYS.
SO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO HOW DO WE APPROVE THE MINUTES? IF SHANE WANTS, SHANE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, VOTE TO APPROVE MINUTES IF YOU'D LIKE.
THAT'S TOTALLY FINE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE QUO, EVEN IF HE WASN'T THERE,
ALRIGHT THEN IF THE, IF NOTHING LOOKED SUSPICIOUS TO YOU, SHANE, FEEL FREE TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF APPROVAL OF NOTHING.
SO I THINK WE'RE UNANIMOUS MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[2. Discussion and possible action following update from Music & Entertainment Division staff on Live Music Fund budget.]
MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, ITEM TWO, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOLLOWING UPDATES FROM MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION STAFF ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND BUDGETS.SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, UH, THOSE NUMBERS AND YEAH, ERICA, WERE YOU GONNA, DID YOU, OKAY.
SO ERICA SHAMAL WILL WALK US THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS.
ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER.
UH, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU SAW BEFORE.
THESE ARE QUARTERLY NUMBERS THAT GET REPORTED TO US, UH, QUARTERLY.
SO THIS WAS THE END OF DECEMBER, IS THE LAST UPDATE THAT WE DID HAVE.
I, I BELIEVE IT'S MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY.
BUT THIS IS THE LAST UPDATE WE HAVE AS STAFF, UH, FOR YOU TO SEE THE ENDING BALANCE, UH, THERE FOR AMENDED FOR 2023.
IT IS THE ACTUAL, I, THIS IS WHERE I HAVE A CONFUSION, UNLESS KIM, IF YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE ENDING BALANCE NUMBERS ARE AND WHERE WE'RE AT.
IS IT THE, WELL, I THINK THE IMPORTANT, UM, ONE IS THE, THE ONE THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE FOR THE 4.1 MILLION.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT WAS THE NUMBER THAT, UH, ACTUALLY GOT, JUST GOT AMENDED, RIGHT? YES.
SO THIS IS OUR FY 23, UM, ALLOCATION FOR, UH, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND EVENT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR MARKETING SPEND WITH VISIT AUSTIN, UH, AS WELL AS ANY ADMINISTRATIVE FEES TO THE LONG CENTER FOR PROGRAM FACILITATION.
SO THAT'S A 3.5 MILLION GRANT BUDGET.
UH, AND THEN THE, WE HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BUDGET WITH, UH, VISIT AUSTIN TO FOCUS ON PROMOTING MUSICIANS AND VENUES IN THE AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE, UH, BEYOND AUSTIN, UH, NATIONALLY, DIGITALLY.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE AN UP TO AMOUNT OF THE REMAINING BALANCE FOR ANY ADMIN FEES THAT WE WOULD INCUR THROUGH THE LONG CENTER AND AS THROUGH THEIR THIRD PARTY SERVICES.
AND SO IN TERMS OF THE BALANCE THAT'S IN THE FUND, WHICH I KNOW IS ALWAYS THE QUESTION, LIKE HOW MUCH MONEY'S IN THE BANK TODAY.
UM, THE ENDING BALANCE IS OBVIOUSLY WE DO HAVE MORE THAN THAT.
AND SO, UH OH, I SEE THE ACTUAL, SO 6.894, UH, ACTUALS AS OF DECEMBER 31ST.
UM, AND SO WE EXPECT BY THE NEXT MEETING TO GET UPDATES ON THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU GUYS.
AND, UH, BUT IT'S BEEN POSITIVE IN TERMS OF US FALLING WITHIN THE ESTIMATES IN THE, UH, FORECASTING THAT WE HAD SEEN OUT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ERICA ABOUT WHERE
[00:10:01]
WE'RE AT ON BUDGET? OKAY.UM, YEAH, ERICA, YOU SAID THE FOUR, SO THE 4.1, THAT'S THE, SO MOST OF THAT'S LIVE MUSIC FUND DISTRIBUTIONS, AND THEN YOU SAID SOME OF IT'S FOR MARKETING, RIGHT? SO THAT'S, UH, WHEN OMAR CAME AND SPOKE WITH YOU GUYS IN DECEMBER WITH THE, THE REPORTING OUT OF OUR LAST SPEND, IT WASN'T QUITE THAT MUCH.
WE BUMPED IT UP SO THAT IT'S A REALLY GOOD, UH, DIGITAL SPIN THROUGH AN AGENCY TO PROMOTE SPECIFIC ARTISTS MU UH, VENUES, UH, AND PROMOTE TICKET LINKS AND, AND ALL LEADING TO HOPEFULLY REVENUE DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE CONVERSIONS WE WANNA SEE IN THE BACK END OF THESE DIGITAL SPENDS.
AND SO, UM, JUST HAD A MEETING WITH VISIT AUSTIN TO LOOK INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, FY 23 AND THE REST OF THE YEAR OF HOW WE COULD SPEND THAT THIS YEAR'S, UH, ALLOCATION.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED, UH, WITH, UH, THE PLANNING THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
AND SO OF COURSE WE'LL, UM, BE BACK WITH A FULL REPORT, UH, ON ANALYTICS.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ESTIMATED AND THE, UH, AMENDED? SO THE ESTIMATED IS WHAT WE'LL HEAR BACK DURING THE BUDGET TIME.
LIKE, SO IT'S JUNE, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, LOOKING FORWARD INTO THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE BUDGETING PROCESS.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, THOSE ESTIMATES ARE PUT IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH A, A BUDGET FOR THE NEXT, FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR THAT THEY'RE VOTING ON.
AND SO THEN IT'S UPDATED WITH AMENDED NUMBERS, WHICH ARE THE ACTUALS, WHICH IS WHY WE WENT BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, JUST IN FEBRUARY TO AMEND EACH OF THE PROGRAMS, EACH OF OUR BUDGETS, UH, WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT CAME IN.
AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE, YEAH, SO IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, EXPECT ANTICIPATED OR PROPOSED, THE TRANSFERS IN ARE GONNA BE ABOUT ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS.
WELL, 900, $900,000 HIGHER, UM, IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT THE, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LIVE MUSIC FUND SPEND IS ABOUT 400,000 HIGHER, AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OFF THE SIDE, THE 5 25
YEAH, THAT WAS THE AMENDED AMOUNT THAT WE BROUGHT BACK LAST MONTH.
WHICH WAS FOR ADDITIONAL ANY ADMIN FEES AND ANOTHER 25,000 TO BRING, UH, VISIT AUSTIN UP FROM 75 TO 100,000 FOR THAT PARTICULAR INVESTMENT IN PROMOTING OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I KNOW, UM, SO AS WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING IN VENUES MM-HMM.
WE WANNA REMAIN CONSERVATIVE MM-HMM.
SO WE KEPT OUR 3.5 MILLION GRANT BUDGET WHERE IT WAS TO ALLOW, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE SPACE FOR THE ADMIN FEES.
AND IT'S GOOD THAT MORE FUNDS ARE COMING IN BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL PROGRAM OR ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CATEGORY FOR THE PROGRAM THAT WE DO HAVE MM-HMM.
SO YEAH, WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER THAT AND THEN TO ALSO, UH, HAVE A RESERVE REMAIN MM-HMM.
AND THE GOAL IS TO KEEP BUILDING UPON THE BUILDING SO THAT WE HAVE A GOOD RESERVE AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ALL THE DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES FOR THE, FOR THE PROGRAMS. OKAY.
WOULD ANY OF THE MARKETING OR ADMIN COSTS, UM, COME OUT OF THE, I KNOW THIS WE'RE LOOKING AT HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX REVENUE, BUT WOULD ANY OF THOSE, UM, THOSE EXPENSES THAT AREN'T DIRECTLY GOING OUT AS, UH, AS PART OF THE ACTUAL PAID TO APPLICANTS OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, WOULD ANY OF THOSE COSTS BE OR COULD THEY BE COVERED BY THE GENERAL FUND? UH, WE DON'T HAVE IT IN OUR BUDGET AS RIGHT NOW MM-HMM.
UM, THEY ARE DEFINITELY ALLOWABLE EXPENSES.
AND I'M JUST ASKING CUZ WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT BUDGET A LITTLE BIT LATER MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION COMMISSION IS HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, REQUEST FROM THE CITY UNITS THAT ARE MUSIC FOCUSED.
AND OF COURSE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT IS OUR MAIN MM-HMM.
SO LET, LET, LET US KNOW LATER IN THE MONTH WE'LL BE SUBMITTING OUR FINAL MM-HMM.
BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, YOU WILL BE MAKING AND ASK, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
[00:15:01]
ARE GONNA HAVE BUDGET ITEMS THAT YOU NEED OUR SUPPORT ON, WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE OUR CUES FROM YOU AND CONSTITUENTS YOU GUYS REPRESENT AND YOUR DISTRICTS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS HEARD AND WHAT'S WANTED.UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE, UH, WHERE WE ARE PAYING MUSICIANS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE'RE BUMPING THAT UP EVERY YEAR.
UH, AND OF COURSE THIS WILL BE THE FIRST APPLICATION LAUNCH TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
UM, SO TAKING THAT ALL INTO ACCOUNT, I WOULD JUST MAKE THE JUDGMENT BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE HEARING, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS OF WHAT YOU THINK THE RIGHT UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE.
SO I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO YOU ON THAT, ERICA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX? I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT I'M THE NEWBIE HERE, SO THAT'S OKAY.
WHAT EXACTLY KIND OF ADVERTISING ARE THE FUNDS BEING SPENT ON? YEAH, SO I CAN SHARE THE REPORTING THAT, THAT OMAR, FROM THE, FROM VISIT AUSTIN SHARED WITH THE COMMISSION, AND I THINK IT WAS OUR DECEMBER MEETING, IT WAS VERY IN DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT.
UH, THEY ARE DIGITAL FOR WHAT WE DID FOR THIS PAST SPEND BECAUSE IT WAS STILL COVID AND WE WERE COMING OUT OF SHUTDOWNS.
WE HAD TO ACTUALLY PIVOT A COUPLE TIMES BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE MESSAGING BEING WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, COME TO THE VENUES TO OKAY BUY MERCH AND BUY RECORDS BECAUSE WE KEPT GETTING DIFFERENT KIND OF FEEDBACK ABOUT JUST OPENING, UM, YOU KNOW, AND CLOSING.
SO NOW THAT WE'RE COMING INTO ANOTHER YEAR WHERE LIVE EVENTS ARE BACK, UM, IT WILL BE DIGITAL SPINS THAT WILL FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON AUSTIN MUSICIANS, AUSTIN VENUES WITH DIRECT LINKS TO THOSE SITES, WHETHER IT'S TICKET SALES OR TO MERCH SALES OR TO THE ARTIST'S WEBSITE.
CUZ WE WANNA SEE DIRECT CONVERSIONS, YOU KNOW, COMING OFF OF THAT, WHICH IS SOMEONE CLICKS ON THEIR WEBSITE, GOES TO THE TICKET, CLICKS ON THE TICKET, BUYS THE TICKET.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION, BUT THE ART ARTIST HAS THE ABILITY TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION BASED ON THE SPEND AND SEEING IF THEY SOLD A TICKET AFTER THAT AD, YOU KNOW, THAT DIGITAL AD.
SO WE SAW SOME GREAT, UH, ENGAGEMENT INTO THE MILLIONS WITH A LOT OF THESE SPINS.
THESE WERE NATIONAL SPINS THAT, UH, WERE DONE WITH ONE OF THE AGENCIES WITH VISIT AUSTIN.
SO WE CAN SHOW YOU EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE COLLATERAL LOOKED LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE MESSAGING WAS WHERE PEOPLE SAW IT.
EITHER IT'S ON, YOU KNOW, ON GOOGLE ADS OR THROUGHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT WAS PERVASIVE, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET SO THAT WE COULD REALLY TOUCH WITH PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN AUSTIN MUSIC.
WE EVEN WORKED WITH SOME CONVERSIONS AROUND LIVE MUSIC VENUES SO THAT IF WE KNOW YOU VISITED A VENUE IN NEW YORK CITY, WE WOULD KNOW THAT YOU WERE A POTENTIAL TOURIST TO AUSTIN THAT COULD POTENTIALLY WANNA FLY HERE AND CHECK OUT SOME LOCAL BANDS.
SO IT'S A PRETTY COM NOT COMPLEX, BUT A, A INTENSE, UH, INVESTMENT INTO A DIGITAL SPEND THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE KIND OF WHAT THE, WHAT WE'RE GETTING ON THE BACK END IN TERMS OF, UH, GROWTH, YOU KNOW, AUDIENCE GROWTH, BUT ALSO ARE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FEELING THAT ARE THEY MAKING MORE MONEY BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG PROMOTION THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD.
I MEAN, WE'RE BASICALLY DOING THE KIND OF MARKETING THAT RECORD COMPANIES WOULD'VE DONE BACK IN THE DAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THROUGH VISIT AUSTIN.
AND THESE ARE EXPENSIVE AD PLACEMENTS AND SO IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT TO PROMOTE OUR LOCAL TALENT AND OUR, OUR VENUES.
UM, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON, ON THAT, UH, PIECE.
UM, UH, SO IS THERE IN, IN YOUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, THAT YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THEM.
UM, IS, ARE THERE ANY PLANS IN PLACE TO WORK ON PROMOTION FOR SOME OF THE MUSICIANS WHO MAYBE DON'T, UH, WORK WITH TICKET SALES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? JUST, IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE TICKET SALES, IT COULD BE JUST AN RSVP LINK.
YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT HAD TO BE A SPECIFIC, IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN A LINK TO GO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PERSON, GO SEE THEIR LATEST MUSIC VIDEO, UH, THIS RSVP LINK FOR A, UH, FREE SHOW.
I MEAN, WE DO WANT IT TO FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES FAR AS DIGITAL ADVERTISING SO THAT WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT, IT'S GOING SOMEWHERE SO THAT, UH, AN A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE PERSON OR A NEW FAN CAN CONNECT WITH THE ARTIST, WITH THE VENUE AND LEARN MORE, MAYBE BUY SOMETHING.
YEAH, CUZ I JUST, UM, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE THERE, UH, OF THE MINI GIGS THAT I PLAY, I CAN THINK OF A VERY, VERY FEW THAT WOULD BE REMOTELY TRACKABLE, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I'D BE CURIOUS IF, UH, IF THERE WAS A WAY TO CONNECT MORE WITH THOSE TYPES OF, OF ARTISTS.
DEFINITELY WITH WHICH I WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT, UM, IN THAT WORLD THAT WILL BE PART OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND TRAINING AS IN TERMS OF MARKETING
[00:20:01]
TRAINING AND DIFFERENT THINGS WE WANNA BRING TO THE APPLICANTS, TO THE AWARDEES IS LEARNING HOW YOU SEE HOW AN AD IS SPENT.YOU SAY YOU SPENT $25 ON INSTAGRAM, WE'LL TEACH THEM HOW TO GO LOOK AT THE ANALYTICS AND SEE IF THAT TRANSLATED TO AN ACTUAL TICKET SALE FROM THEIR WEBSITE.
SO THIS IS STUFF THAT'S AVAILABLE.
I'M SORRY IF YOU DON'T WORK, WORK WITH TICKET SALES, IT COULD BE ANYTHING.
IT'S ANY CONVERSION YOU CAN SEE IF SOMEONE RSVP'D TO YOUR THING, IT'S IF PEOPLE DON'T RSVP EITHER, IT'S JUST LIKE A, WE CAN SAY THEY WERE REACHED THAT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE REACHED AND WHERE THEY WERE.
WE CAN'T SAY WHAT THEY DID AFTER THEY WERE REACHED, BUT, SO WE WANNA SEE WHO'S SERVED LIKE DIRECTLY, WHO IS, YOU KNOW, CONVERTING TO A TICKET SALE, A MERCH ITEM, THE RSVP'D OR PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST, JUST ORGANICALLY REACHED.
AND SO YOU'RE LIKE THINKING, OH, I HEARD ABOUT THIS LAS BAND AND THEN IT'S JUST IN YOUR MIND AND THEN AS YOU SEE MORE, YOU'RE LIKE, OH YEAH, I'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM.
IT'S REACH AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, DIRECT SERVICE.
SO IF, IF, IF I WERE TO FOR INSTANCE, LIKE HAVE LIKE, UH, MAYBE I'M NOT PROMOTING A, A SHOW OR LIKE TICKETS PER SE, BUT I WAS, YOU KNOW, UM, TRYING TO GAUGE SOME CONVERSION FOR AN INQUIRY TO GET BY BAND BOOK THAT A PRIVATE GIG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, POSSIBLY OR NOT AN INQUIRY LIKE THAT, A PRIVATE INQUIRY, BUT PEOPLE GOING LIKE DRIVING TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE, RIGHT.
DRIVING FACEBOOK LIKES, DRIVING MORE ENGAGEMENT ON ANY OF YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKS, THAT THOSE ARE TRACKABLE THINGS.
YEAH, I GUESS I JUST, JUST WANNA CLARIFY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT SHOWS WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A COVER, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ORGANIC ENGAGEMENT MM-HMM.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW, HOW TO TAP INTO MM-HMM.
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US ASPECT OF THE COMMUNITY? YOU KNOW, SO CUZ IT'S LIKE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE BOAT THAT I'M IN THINK ABOUT GOING BACK AND MEASURING HOW ANYTHING WE'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, WE PROMOTE IT THE BEST WE CAN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS LIKE, REACH AND THEIR ARE TOURISTS AND THEY'RE LIKE, REMEMBER SEEING AN AD AS THEY'RE WALKING DOWN SIXTH STREET OR RED RIVER AND THEY SEE, OH, SO-AND-SO'S PLAYING, I HEARD ABOUT IT JUST IS IN YOUR MIND CUZ YOU'VE SEEN SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH, UH, THROUGH THE INTERNET SOMEHOW.
SO THAT'S THE INDIRECT REACH THAT COULD VERY WELL LEAD SOMEONE TO STOP AND GO, OH, I'VE HEARD OF THESE PEOPLE, AND THEN GO AND SEE THE SHOW.
SO THERE, THERE'S THE INDIRECT, BUT THEN THERE'S THE VERY DIRECT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SUSS APART TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY ARE, HOW DID THAT WORK? HOW MANY, WHAT DID THEY BUY IF THEY BOUGHT ANYTHING.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE MADE SOME, SOME UPDATES AND WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO COUNCIL AND WE'VE, WE'VE GOT FORWARD MOTION WITH THE LONG CENTER IT SOUNDS LIKE MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN AND ALSO FOR ANYONE WHO'S TUNING IN AND TRYING TO FOLLOW THE STORY, LIKE HOW ARE WE DOING TIMELINE? WE ARE ON TRACK TRACK, UM, ON, AND LIKE FOR ANYONE TUNING IN, LIKE WHEN CAN PEOPLE BE EXPECTING FOR APPLICATIONS TO YEAH, WE ARE ON TRACK.
LET'S JUST SAY LET'S GET SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, INTO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.
BUT REALLY RIGHT AFTER THAT, SAY IN APRIL IS THE PLAN FOR, UH, WHEN WE WOULD LAUNCH THE APPLICATION.
SO EXPECT IT COMING YOUR WAY IN APRIL.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, SO THE, UM, AND JUST REMIND ME HERE, THE, SO THE FISCAL BUDGET FOR 22 AND 23, THE 4.1 ESTIMATED, UH, MILLION, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO SPEND TO THE PENNY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH ENDS SEPTEMBER 30TH.
UH, AND SO ANY CONTRACTS OR AGREEMENTS, GRANT AGREEMENTS THAT WE GET INTO PLACE BY THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WITH OUR FY 23, OUR FISCAL YEAR, 23 FUNDS OF $3.5 MILLION FOR THE GRANTS THEMSELVES.
AND THEN THE ADMIN FEES, YOU KNOW, WE HA BASED ON WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED THROUGH THE RCA, WE HAVE A CERTAIN SET ADMIN FEES THAT WERE ALLOWED TO SPEND YEAR OVER YEAR FOR ALL PROGRAMS. AND YOU GUYS WERE, YOU KNOW, ADVISED OF THAT I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING.
SO LIKE THAT'S BASICALLY THE FY 2223 BUDGETS FOR ROUND ONE.
YEAH, JUST FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN WE'LL START DOING ALL THE ENGAGEMENT AROUND FY 24, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP BUILDING UP THAT FUND SO THAT WE HOPE TO INCREASE, OBVIOUSLY THE DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY CATEGORIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY FOR GOOD QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO
[3. Discussion and possible action on joint retreat with the Arts Commission.]
[00:25:01]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A JOINT RETREAT WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION.SO, UM, ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSIONS HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
UH, BALI AND I MEET WITH THEIR CHAIRS REGULARLY, UH, TO DO UPDATES.
AND WE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO DO A, IT'S A RETREAT, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE A SPA RETREAT, IT'S A MEETING
SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS ON A SATURDAY, UM, WE WOULD MEET WITH THEM FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS AND THERE WILL BE SNACKS AND LUNCH, AND I THINK THAT'LL TAKE PLACE AT A CITY FACILITY, PROBABLY THE ONE DONE ON BEN WHITE, UM, THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
SO WHAT CAN HAPPEN AT THAT MEETING IS WE'LL DISCUSS ISSUES THAT ARE OF, UH, JOINT CONCERN TO ARTS AND MUSIC AND, UH, WE WILL HAVE AN AGENDA SET FOR THAT.
UM, WE CAN, BUT IT, IT CAN BE LESS FORMAL THAN, THAN THIS SORT OF, THAN THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, WE CAN VOTE AT THE BEGINNING, WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, AND IT CAN BE MORE, UM, MORE OF A DISCUSSION.
BUT IT IS, IT IS STILL A PUBLIC MEETING.
SO THE PUBLIC IS CERTAINLY WELCOME TO COME JOIN AND SOME TOPICS THAT WE WILL, UM, DISCUSSING THAT A COUPLE OF THEM WILL BE SHORT TERM RENTALS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH ARTS AND MUSIC, LIKE HOW TO BEST CAPTURE, UM, HOT TAXES.
THERE'S SOME THAT'S NOT
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE WOULD WANNA TACKLE, UM, LAND USE AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DATE OF APRIL 8TH FOR THAT.
UM, SO LETTING, LETTING EVERYBODY PLUS STAFF KNOW.
AND I'LL FOLLOW UP SELENA AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH KIM AND, AND THE ARTS LIAISON ABOUT GETTING THAT SCHEDULED AND HOPEFULLY THAT DATE IF IT, I MEAN, HOPEFULLY THAT WORKS, BUT, WE'LL, DAYTIME.
YEAH, IT'LL BE A DAYTIME MEETING.
UM, SO YEAH, SOME MORE TO COME.
I'LL HAVE, WE SHOULD HAVE THE AGENDA SET BY THE NEXT, UM, MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING IN APRIL SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT OR I'LL JUST DISTRIBUTE IT.
BUT WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OBVIOUSLY WE WANT EVERYBODY TO TRY TO COME AND IF IT'S LOOKING LIKE THAT DATE WON'T WORK FOR MOST PEOPLE, THEN LET ME KNOW.
A S A P SO WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER DATES AND WE'LL COORDINATE WITH CITY STAFF ON THAT TOO.
BUT THAT'S THE UPDATE ON THAT.
I THINK IT'LL BE A REALLY, UM, PRODUCTIVE MEETING AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S SO GOOD FOR ARTS AND MUSIC TO BE WORKING THE TOGETHER THE WAY WE ARE.
IT STRENGTHENS BOTH COMMUNITIES, I THINK.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT MEETING.
[4. Discussion and possible action on Circuit of the Americas accessibility task force following update from Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities, and Commissioners Rosenthal and Limon.]
FOUR IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS, SO I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS UPDATE.AND WE HAVE A GUEST HERE, UM, BUT DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICA'S ACCESSIBILITY TASK FORCE FOLLOWING UPDATE FROM DIANE KERN'S OSTER WHEEL.
UH, HOW'S HER LAST NAME PRONOUNCED? IS IT OSTERWEIL? OSTERWEIL.
SO SHE'S, UH, DIANE'S HERE REMOTELY, UH, AND DIANE'S WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL WILL BE, UH, GETTING US STARTED ON THAT.
SO, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO DO THIS REALLY IN THREE PARTS.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE BACKGROUND OF THE CODA TASK FORCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT WAS SET UP BY CODA.
UH, GIVE THE BACKGROUND OF IT AND THEN ALSO, UH, GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING OF THIS TASK FORCE.
SECOND, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO CONTINUE, UH, THE WORK THAT CODA HAS DONE.
UH, AND FOR THAT I'VE INVITED, UH, DIANE, UH, WHAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TO WORK, UH, MORE CLOSELY WITH OTHER CITY GROUPS, IN PARTICULAR THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING WE'D LIKE TO DO IS WE'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO MORE VENUES BEYOND CODA.
AND THEN THIRD, JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THE VISION SHOULD BE, WHAT THIS, AND KEEPING IT BRINGING BACK TO
[00:30:01]
THE MUSIC COMMISSION, WHAT OUR VISION SHOULD BE FOR WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP GUARANTEE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.SO, UH, SO THE, SO PART ONE, PART TWO, PART THREE, PART ONE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CODE OF TASK FORCE.
AND FOR THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP, UH, BRUCE.
UH, BRUCE, THERE'S A MIC UP AT, AT THE FRONT.
SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, BRUCE ELANT, THE TRAVIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR VOTER REGISTRAR.
UM, AND THIS ALL CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A CONCERT ON, I'VE GOT THE DATE, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2021.
THERE'S A ROLLING STONES CONCERT AT KODA BASED ON WHAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCED IN GENERAL, AND YOU IN PARTICULAR AT THAT CONCERT, REAL DIFFICULTIES WITH, UH, LOGISTICS IN GENERAL.
AND IN PARTICULAR, VERY BAD ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, THAT PROMPTED SOME ENGAGEMENT WITH CODA, THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, AND THEY PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE.
AND, UH, I WANT TO CONFIRM WITH YOU WHO IS ON THIS TASK FORCE IN ADDITION TO YOU AND RON LUCY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, QUITE A FEW ACTIVISTS INCLUDING, UH, SARAH MILLS, WHO'S THE PRINCIPAL OF TREATY OAK STRATEGIES, AND CHASE BEARDON, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COALITION OF TEXANS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, THERE WERE MYSELF, UH, AND ARE RECENTLY LEFT THE COMMISSION FORMER COMMISSIONER, UH, CHRISTOPHER LEMAN, UH, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE FROM CODA.
WERE THERE OTHERS ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT I'VE, UM, UH, I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED JONATHAN FRANKS.
UH, A ANYONE ELSE ON THIS COMMITTEE IF I THINK THAT COVERS IT.
SO THE, THE MAIN THING IS THAT WE HAD REAL EXPERTS ON, UM, ON ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES REPRESENTING THE, UH, CITY STATE, AND WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UH, ALSO, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THAT AS, AS I'M LEARNING MORE IN MY ACTIVISM, THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, HAVING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACTUALLY LEAD THE WAY.
I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A GREAT, UH, A GREAT, UH, TASK FORCE WITH, WITH CODA.
UH, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT THIS TASK FORCE, BRUCE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
UM, THESE WERE THE, SOME OF THE PREEMINENT EXPERTS, UM, FOR DISABILITY ACCESS IN THE STATE.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION AND, UM, CITY AND COUNTY FOLKS, UM, PART OF THIS, INCLUDING THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, AND I'M JUST REALLY PROUD THAT, UM, CODA REALLY LEANED INTO THIS.
UH, WHEN I SENT MY LETTER TO THEM, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA RESPOND.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE ASHAMED OF, UM, THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE HAD, UM, AT THE ROLLING STONES CONCERT THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR IT.
AND, UH, THEY WELCOMED THIS TASK FORCE, UM, AND WE, WE SAT DOWN WITH THEM OVER, OVER A YEAR'S TIME, AND THEY'VE COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF, UM, OF INNOVATIONS, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THEM REALLY A, A, UH, BEST PRACTICES, UH, FOR LARGE VENUES.
AND, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO THAT AND REALLY PROUD OF, UH, EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED.
AND, UH, BRUCE, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, WHY I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING ON FEBRUARY 7TH, WHICH, UH, FELT REALLY, REALLY GOOD, UH, TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, UH, THE, THE PERSON WHO KICKED OFF THE MEETING WAS BOBBY EPSTEIN, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER OF THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.
AND HE SAID, ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THEY HAD BEEN EMBARRASSED BY WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND THEY WERE COMMITTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT CODA IS A WORLD CLASS FACILITY AND INCLUDES EVERYONE.
UH, HE SAID SOMETHING THAT I WROTE DOWN VERBATIM.
HE SAID, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION WE NEEDED, UH, MEANING THAT, WELL, OKAY.
THAT CONCERT IN PARTICULAR, WAS THE FIRST BIG EVENT THAT THEY'D DONE SINCE COVID AND WHATEVER KNOWLEDGE THEY HAD ABOUT MANAGING TO ADA REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS THE LAW, UH, THEY, UH, THEY, THEY WERE NOT,
[00:35:01]
UH, THEY WERE NOT READY FOR THIS.AND HE, WHAT, UM, WHAT THIS TASK FORCE DID IS IT PROVIDED HIM WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEEDED.
UH, SO, UH, LET, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE VISION OF THIS TASK FORCE CAN BE MO MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AT THE MEETING, WE THEN HEARD A WHOLE L LIST OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT CODA HAS DONE TO IMPROVE, UH, ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
NUMBER ONE, THEY REBUILT THE WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH USER WAY, WHICH IS THE LEADING COMP COMPANY FOR WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY DESIGN.
AND THEY MENTIONED SEVERAL SPECIFIC, UH, UM, UH, ACCOMMODATION CAPABILITIES OF, OF THE WEBSITE, AS WELL AS HAVING SPECIFIC LANDING PAGES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR SPECIFIC EVENTS.
UH, THE TICKETING PARTNERED WITH TICKETMASTER TO, UH, SPECIFICALLY ACCOMMODATE THE NUMBER OF ADA GUESTS AND ADJUSTED SEATING TO ACCOMMODATE CAPACITY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT EVERYONE WHO WAS DISABLED, WHO BOUGHT A TICKET WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE, UH, SEATING AND, AND FACILITIES, UH, PARKING.
THEY WORKED, UH, TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
UH, AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN PURCHASED 88 TICKETS, BUT STILL HAD MOBILITY ISSUES.
THEY QUADRUPLED THE OFFSITE TRANSPORT, UH, FOR, UH, THE ADA COMPLIANT OFFSITE TRANSPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO, UH, BOOKED, UH, I GUESS TRANSPORTATION FROM CENTRALIZED LOCATIONS ALL THE WAY OUT DAKOTA, WHICH IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS, IT'S WAY OUT THERE.
UM, UH, THEY HAD A DEDICATED TEAM MEMBER FOR ADA EMAIL AND REQUEST THAT YOU'RE GETTING UP TO 40 INQUIRIES A DAY.
UM, ALSO FOR THE SUPER STAGE, THEY SET ASIDE, UH, ADA COMPLIANT AREAS FOR, IN BOTH THE SRO AND THE GA, UH, AREAS THAT INSURED SIGHT LINES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE DEDICATED PATHS FOR GOLF CARTS TO BRING GUESTS TO THOSE PLACES.
UH, THEY DID THEY HAVE A SENSORY ROOM OR THEY'RE TALKING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, YES.
DO, DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SENSORY ROOM, BRUCE? I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT EXCEPT FOR WHAT WAS SAID AT THE MEETING IS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE PLANNING ON DOING THAT, MAKING THAT AVAILABLE.
SO, UH, AND, AND THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH SETON, I BELIEVE, TO, TO DO THAT? CORRECT.
UH, AND ALSO, DID THEY HAVE ADULT CHANGING TABLES? I THINK THEY DID.
AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY DID NOT, BUT THEY'RE PLANNING TO.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONTINUING ALONG THESE WAYS.
UH, DID I MISS ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT, UH, WHAT ELSE WAS COVERED IN THAT MEETING? WELL, THEY'VE ADDED, THEY'VE ADDED MORE GOLF CARTS, UM, TO GET PEOPLE FROM THEIR CAR, NOT JUST TO THE OUTER GATE, BUT TO THEIR SEATS.
UM, THEY'VE ADDED A NUMBER OF WHEELCHAIRS, UM, THAT, THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN USE IF THEY NEED.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SCOOTERS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEY'VE DONE SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR, FOR PATHWAYS, UM, TO, TO HELP PEOPLE.
THEY, IN FACT, THEY SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT AT THE GERMANIA AMPHITHEATER, THEY HAD, THEY HAD TAKEN, UH, THEY HAD TAKEN OUT SOME OF THE PAVING MATERIAL, WHICH WAS ROUGH.
UH, AND THEY'D ALSO, UH, IMPROVED THE SIGNAGE TREMENDOUSLY AS, UH, AS, AS WELL.
UH, SO REAL PROGRESS, UH, CODA DEFINITELY HAS DONE A LOT, AND THEY'RE STILL COMMITTED TO DOING MORE.
WE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES, UH, BOTH MYSELF.
I, I ATTENDED, UH, THE GREEN DAY CONCERT ON THE SUPER STAGE, AND ACTUALLY THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT ROCKY.
THEY, THEY SAID THAT, UH, THIS WOULD BE, THIS WOULD BE AT RACE WEEKEND, WHICH WAS IN OCTOBER.
UH, BUT THEY WERE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND THEY SAID, HEY, WE STILL NEED TO GO A LITTLE, A BIT, A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IMPROVE THAT.
UH, I ALSO COMMENTED ON THE VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE I HAD AT THE, UM, AT A CONCERT AT GERMANIA AMPHITHEATER IN, UM, THAT I, THAT I WENT WITH CHRIS LIMON ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE I'VE MENTIONED THAT AT THIS, AT, AT THIS FORUM, MY EX, MY EXPERIENCE THERE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY SOMETHING THAT RON LUCY, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY, SAID, HE SAID, THIS IS A QUOTE, ACCESSIBILITY IS A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION.
SO THERE ARE ADA LAWS THAT VENUES NEED TO COMPLY WITH, BUT THE REGULATIONS, IT'S
[00:40:01]
VERY HARD FOR THEM TO KEEP PACE WITH THE STATE OF THE ART.AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THE ATTITUDE OF THE VENUES TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY FELT IN THE ROOM, THAT THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY GOOD GOING ON HERE ABOUT INCLUSION, AND WE WANT TO, UH, WE, WE WANT TO KEEP THIS GOING AND EXPAND THAT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY CONCLUSION OF PART ONE, THE UPDATE OF THE TASK FORCE AND WHAT THE MOST RECENT MEETING WAS AND WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE SAW? IT'S REALLY THOROUGH.
YEAH, NO, THAT'S BEEN VERY THOROUGH, WARREN.
BRUCE, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PART TWO.
UH, AND, AND BY ALL MEANS, STAY RIGHT, RIGHT UP, RIGHT, RIGHT UP THERE.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME.
UH, SO FOR PART TWO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DIANE KERNS OSTERWEIL, WHO IS, UH, UNTIL VERY RECENTLY WAS ON THE, UH, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOP WITH DISABILITIES.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN, UM, TALKING WITH, UH, WITH HER ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO A AROUND THIS.
UM, I SPOKE AT THE, UH, MOST RECENT MAYOR'S COMMITTEE MEETING, AND, UH, I WASN'T ON THE AGENDA, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED JONATHAN FRANKS THE CHAIR, THAT THIS BE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ATTEND AND SPEAK AT AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
AND I THINK, BRUCE, YOU ALSO MENTIONED YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE WILL CERTAINLY LET JONATHAN KNOW TO, UM, TO INCLUDE THAT AS, AS, AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
UM, AND, AND THEN I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE, UH, AND WHAT I'M TRULY REALIZING IS THAT WE, ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION, YES, WE HAVE A MISSION TO MAKE MUSIC ACCESSIBLE, ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, BUT THE LEAD NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THEMSELVES THAT, UH, JUST AS BRUCE YOU WERE SAYING, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN HOW BAD THINGS WERE HAD YOU NOT BEEN, UH, DISABLED AT THE TIME OF THIS CONCERT.
UH, WE REALLY NEED TO FOLLOW, FOLLOW THE LEAD.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UH, FORWARD TO A PARTNERSHIP.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY I INVITED YOU TO SPEAK DIANE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALSO BEEN REACHING OUT TO SOME OTHER VENUES TOO, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, AND, AND JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR.
I ACTUALLY, MY LAST DAY ON THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WAS FEBRUARY 28TH, BECAUSE I HIT TERM LIMITS AS WELL.
I WAS ON THE COMMISSION FOR EIGHT YEARS.
SO, UM, I DID WANNA COME CUZ I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UH, FOLKS OVER AT CODA.
UM, I HAD A MEETING, UH, SOME FOLKS AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAD IN, MADE AN INTRODUCTION TO C3.
UM, AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THEM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE A C L FEST.
UM, I HAVE A 20 YEAR OLD SON, UM, WHO HAS MULTIPLE DISABILITIES.
HE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY, HE'S VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND HE USES A WHEELCHAIR.
UM, SO MOST, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONCERNS ARE RELATED TO, UH, PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES, PEOPLE THAT USE WHEELCHAIRS.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH C3 HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH ACL FEST, AND I'VE BEEN GOING, AND I DO NOT MIND SAYING HOW OLD I AM, BUT I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THAT FESTIVAL SINCE MY TWINS, UM, WERE WERE ONE YEAR OLD, I THINK WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE WENT.
UM, SO HE, HE HAS BEEN GOING, HE LOVES MUSIC.
WE GO TO MUSIC EVENTS, UM, ALL THE TIME.
I THINK WE'VE HIT EVERY VENUE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE MOBILITY ISSUES AT EVERY, EVERY VENUE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT NO VENUE HAS.
AND WHEN, UM, ORRIN, YOU TOLD ME ABOUT WHAT CODA WAS PLANNING WITH THE ADULT SIZE CHANGING TABLES, NO VENUE HAS THAT.
AND I, I GOTTA STRESS, IF THERE IS NO PLACE TO USE THE RESTROOM, IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WITH, UM, ACUTE, UH, DISABILITIES LIKE MY SON, YOU DON'T GO OUT AND YOU MOST CERTAINLY DON'T GO OUT TO A VENUE THAT'S WAY OUT IN ISSA AUSTIN.
UM, LIKE CODA, IF YOU HAVE NO PLACE THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR DISABILITY, FOR YOU TO USE THE RESTROOM.
UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THE, FOR, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO EXPAND THAT ACROSS
[00:45:01]
OTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, VENUES, WHETHER PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, LIKE THE A C L FEST.UM, CUZ I THINK IT WILL REALLY MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN, UM, MAKING MUSIC EVENTS IN AUSTIN ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, VARYING, UH, DISABILITIES.
UH, AND THIS TASK FORCE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS NOT A CITY TASK FORCE, IT'S ACTUALLY A CODA RUN TASK FORCE.
HOW, HOW WE WANNA STRUCTURE THIS TASK FORCE? UM, WELL, CODA IS, THEY ARE COMMITTED TO AUSTIN BEING A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION.
AND SO FAR I THINK IT'S, UM, UH, I I THINK IF, IF WE CAN, UM, LIKE, LIKE I SAID, BOBBY EPSTEIN SAID HE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE NEEDED TO KNOW.
AND NOW THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW, IF WE CAN START INVOLVING OTHER VENUES IN THIS, IT COULD BE THE VERY EXACT SAME TASK FORCE AND MAYBE CODA WILL STILL CONSENT TO RUN IT OR COORDINATE IT WITH THESE, WITH THESE OTHER GROUPS.
UH, AND WE WOULD LIKE THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO CONTINUE TO BE, UH, INVOLVED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WHOEVER THAT GROUP DESIGNATES, UH, I I I THINK IT'S, UH, BY, BY MAKING IT BIGGER, WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER.
I, I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE CITY COMMISSIONS TA WORKING WITH EACH OTHER.
SO I WHAT, OR WHEN WE FIRST SPOKE, I HAD NO IDEA THAT ANY OF THIS WAS GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, MIND YOU, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN IN OUR OWN LITTLE, YOU KNOW, BUBBLE.
WE DON'T REALLY GO OUT MUCH SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK ON, YOU KNOW, AS, AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE WORKING WITH OTHER CITY COMMISSIONS AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT ON THE COMMISSION, I WOULD DEFINITELY URGE YOU GUYS, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR CHAIR JONATHAN FRANKS.
UM, AND THEN ONE OTHER THING I DID, I WANTED TO POINT OUT ALL OF THE, THE THINGS, UM, OREN THAT YOU AND BRUCE HAD BROUGHT UP.
ONE THING THAT I THINK IS FORGOTTEN IN MY SPECIFIC REFERENCE HERE WAS AT THE AMPHITHEATER AT KODA IS I BROUGHT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, UM, AND WE USUALLY HAVE AN ATTENDANT WITH MY SON.
SO I HAD TO BUY SIX TICKETS TO A CONCERT.
IT WAS THE, UH, THE BECK CONCERT, I DON'T KNOW, 2019.
UM, SO I BOUGHT TICKETS ON THE BERM ON THE HILL CUZ THEY WERE THE CHEAPEST ONES.
AND I WAS ASSURED THAT THERE WAS WHEELCHAIR SEATING THERE AND THERE WAS NOT WHEN WE GOT THERE.
SO IT WAS A BIG DEAL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE EVERYBODY WAS GONNA SIT.
AND WE GOT COMPLIMENTARY SEATS IN THE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE AREA.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FREQUENTLY FIND IS THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO EQUITY WITH REGARDS TO BUYING TICKETS.
IF I WANNA BUY A $15 TICKET, IT SHOULD NOT MATTER IF I AM IN A WHEELCHAIR OR NOT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY A $15 TICKET.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE SEATS ARE.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL VENUES SHOULD WORK TOWARDS THAT IF, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THINKING OF THE, THE, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PAY A PREMIUM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SIT ON THE GRASS ON A HILL.
UM, JUST SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE EXPERIENCED AT, AT CODA AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AT OTHER VENUES AS WELL, AND WE HAVE TO GO VENUE BY VENUE AND, AND I HAVE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY, OF MY SON AND CONVINCE PEOPLE IT'S NOT FAIR THAT WE CAN'T SIT IN GENERAL ADMISSION BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, THE TERRAIN IS UNEVEN IN ITS MUDDY IN HIS WHEELCHAIR.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY $20 INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PAY $50 TO SET UP HERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S PAVED.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU GUYS MOVE FORWARD TO, TO THINK ABOUT EQUITY IN TERMS OF PRICE AS WELL.
UH, WHAT, UM, SO WHAT FOR PART TWO, WE WILL WORK WITH JONATHAN FRANKS TO GET OUR OURSELVES ON THE, UH, AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MEETING.
UH, NOW I DID WANNA HAVE CODA SPEAK HERE TODAY.
THEY'VE GOT SOME SPRING RACES THEY OFFERED TO COME IN MAY OR JUNE.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS EITHER PERHAPS AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION
[00:50:01]
OR, UH, OR PERHAPS AT THE, UM, COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, IF WE COULD GET, UH, REPRESENTATIVES NOT ONLY OF CODA, BUT PERHAPS, UH, YOU SAY YOU'VE GOT A, YOU'VE SPOKEN WITH SOMEONE AT C3, WE CAN LINE UP A FEW OF THEM AT AT ONE OR AT ONE AT EITHER THIS MEETING OR THAT MEETING.LET'S, LET'S SHOOT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOMETIME IN, UM, SOMETIME BEFORE THE SUMMER.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD PART IS, UM, WHAT IS OUR GOAL? AND THAT I'D LIKE TO THROW OPEN TO ALL OF US, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COMMITTED TO IN THE MUSIC, UH, COMMISSION IS PI UH, UH, PRESERVATION INNOVATION AND EQUITY ELEVATION.
I I, I, FORGIVE ME, CHA CHUCK IS NOT ON, IS HE? HE HE WOULD BE UPSET.
UM, WELL, YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF ACRONYMS OF THE CITY, BUT YES.
SO THE PI GUIDELINES ARE EQUITY FOCUSED, SO YES, IT'S TOTAL.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UM, YEAH, BRING, BRING THIS TOPIC IN LINE WITH THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S COMPLETELY, UH, LOGICAL.
WELL, AND, AND I, I LIKE THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL THAT WE HEARD, UH, EXPRESSED BY BOBBY EPSTEIN.
UH, THEY REALLY GET THAT BY MAKING CODA AND THEIR CODA EVENTS COMPLETELY INCLUSIVE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES, THEY ARE EXPANDING THEIR MARKET AND THEY ARE INCLUDING EVERYONE.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY A MONEY MAKING IDEA.
IT'S NOT, IT, IT'S, IT, YOU CAN MOVE, UH, ALL THE COSTS AND THE ACCOMMODATIONS OUT OF THE EXPENSES COLUMN IN, INTO INVESTMENTS COLUMN THAT DO PAY OFF.
AND THAT'S THE AWARENESS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE.
UH, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I'D VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT YOU SAID DIANE, UH, ABOUT, UM, MAKING IT SO THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE ON THE SAME FINANCIAL PLAYING FIELD AS EVERYONE ELSE.
UH, ANY, ANY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FROM ANYONE BEFORE WE CLOSE UP? WELL, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE BRUCE AND DIANE BEING PART OF THIS MEETING AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
OREN, UH, I THINK APPROACHING C3 BRILLIANT PLANNING, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT OUTREACH TO DO.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THEY, UM, YEAH, THERE'S SO MUCH MUSIC THAT'S, THAT THEY HANDLE AND, UH, I GUESS A THOUGHT THAT OCCURS TO ME, WELL, I GUESS I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
UM, ARE THERE FEDERAL GUIDELINES REGARDING LIKE WHAT VENUES HAVE TO PR PROVIDE BASED ON THEIR SIZE? OR ARE THEY BLANKET FOR EVERYONE? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
LIKE, IS IT DIFFERENT FOR LIKE A SMALLER, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE 500 PEOPLE CAPACITY COMPARED TO 3000 COMPARED TO 10,000 OR LIKE DEAL WITH THAT? YEAH.
BRUCE OR DIANE, DO YOU KNOW? I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, UM, UH, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, IT'S WITH THE, THE BUILDING THAT THE VENUE IS IN, LIKE TEMPORARY VENUES, LIKE AT ZILKER PARK WITH A C L FEST.
I, I'D HAVE TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND, UM, YEAH, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT ANYBODY ON ON THE SPOT, UH, BUT THAT WAS JUST A, THAT'S OCCURRING TO ME BECAUSE THIS DISCUSSION, LIKE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CODA, THAT'S ONE TYPE OF VENUE AND THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL.
AND SO THEN WE HAVE SMALLER VENUES, UM, THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY SOMETHING TO JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY COULD GO ABOUT.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
AND SO I THINK C3, YOU KNOW, CODE IS GREAT.
AND THEN IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO HELP SMALLER VENUES ACHIEVE THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT THEY COULD TAP INTO? LIKE, UM, LAUREN JUST MENTIONED LIKE ELEPHANT ROOM, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THAT'S A REALLY CHALLENGING VENUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK SOME OF THE OLDER BUILDINGS ARE EXEMPT.
UM, YEAH, THERE'S, UH, ELEPHANT ROOM'S TERRIBLE BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IN.
SO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UM, EXEMPTS ANYTHING BEFORE 1990.
AND, UH, AFTER 1990, UH, THE LAW SAYS THAT, UH, VENUES OR RESTAURANTS
[00:55:01]
OR WHATEVER, UH, ANY PUBLIC PLACE NEEDS TO MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS.AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA ASK THE ELEPHANT ROOM TO, TO INVEST A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S NOT A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
BUT WHAT WE FOUND WORKING WITH, UH, A LOT OF THE DISABILITY, UH, RIGHTS EXPERTS IS THAT THERE ARE KIND OF LOW COST WAYS, UM, THAT THEY CAN MAKE SOME, UM, VENUES THAT, UM, WERE BUILT BEFORE 1990, A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE.
AND WE, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND, UH, THE, THE ADA TALKS ABOUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ANGLE OF A RAMP, THE, THE WIDTH OF, UH, BATHROOMS, UH, DOORS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD APPLY TO, TO ANY KIND OF A VENUE, WHETHER THEY'RE SMALL OR LARGE.
WELL, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE FUTURE.
LIKE HOW THIS CAN BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE SMALLER VENUES CAN ACCOMMODATE, BUT WITHOUT IT, YOU KNOW, BEING SOMETHING THAT THEY JUST FINANCIALLY JUST WOULDN'T BE FEASIBLE.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO I THINK I'M SO HAPPY THAT SO MUCH HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS SO FAR AND REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING YOUR EXPERTISE, DIANE, LIKE EIGHT YEARS ON A COMMISSION IS A LONG TIME, SO THAT'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO OREN, WE'LL JUST LOOK FORWARD TO HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, PROCEED AND LET US KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS CAN HELP.
AND EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER GOULD.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO ASK, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT VISION FOR, FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS TASK FORCE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING THE PRO PROGRESS YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO MAKE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE LINES WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT CHAIR PATTERSON WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, UH, I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING ABOUT HOW MANY VENUES WE HAVE THAT, UM, MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAKE ALL OF THOSE CHANGES.
AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, ELEPHANT ROOM POPPED INTO MY HEAD ABOUT LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S ONE WAY IN, AND IT'S SUCH A GREAT CLUB AND IT'S SUCH AN ICONIC VENUE FOR US.
UM, AND, AND ARE THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES LIKE THAT.
UM, AND, AND I, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE ACCESSIBILITY, UM, TO JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE BIG SHOWS, BUT, UM, BUT ANY SHOWS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND TOWN.
AND I KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT PERFORMANCES, UH, HOW ACCESSIBLE THEY ARE, I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW THE ANSWER.
UM, AND, UH, OFTENTIMES I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT I HAVE TO REPORT BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD, UH, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SMALLER VENUES CAN, CAN DO AND WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR THEM, UM, IS, ARE THERE EXISTING, UH, SPACES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SERVING AS A MUSIC VENUE, BUT SPACES THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY LIKE VERY COMFORTABLY ADA COMPLIANT, AND, UM, UH, MAYBE THAT WOULD, WOULD JUST GENERALLY FEEL REALLY GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND TAKE THEIR FAMILIES WHERE WE CAN BRING CONCERTS.
UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD, UM, INCLUDING LIKE, MAYBE LIKE SENSORY CONSIDERATIONS TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, CONCERTS, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE AT THE, UH, AN ATMOSPHERE THAT'S ALWAYS CONDUCIVE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY ONE ON, ON, UH, THE NEURO DIVERGENT SPECTRUM.
UM, AND SO I THINK, UH, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO KNOW IF THERE ARE VENUES OR PLACES THAT MAYBE DON'T, LIKE I SAID, DON'T SERVE AS A VENUE, BUT SPACES WHERE WE COULD BRING MORE MUSIC, UM, AND MAYBE DISCUSS LIKE, WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE'RE SITTING IN ONE, RIGHT? THIS IS FULLY ADA COMPLIANT.
WE'VE GOT SEATS FOR A HUNDRED, UH, STAGED, UH, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT.
ALSO, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT LIKE OUTDOOR VENUES, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND ARE STILL NOT COMFORTABLE COMING TO INDOOR VENUES OR LIKE, WHEN ARE YOU PLAYING OUTSIDE? WHEN ARE YOU PLAYING OUTSIDE? AND THERE JUST AREN'T AS MANY OPTIONS AS, AS I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE.
SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE, I WANNA KNOW HOW WE CAN CONTINUE THIS GROUP BEYOND CODA AND ALSO LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OTHER CREATIVE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH, LIKE MAYBE YOU GUYS HAVE SOME INPUT, UM, ON THAT.
YEAH, SO MANY VENUES DURING SOUTH BY THAT WE'VE BEEN TO THAT ARE TYPICALLY OUTSIDE IN PARKING LOTS AND UNDER TENTHS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, I THINK 80% OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN TO WERE PRETTY GOOD.