City debates future of special events and street closures

With an estimated attendance of more than 90,000 over a four-day period in January and an economic impact of more than $8 million in 2014, Thunder by the Bay has become an iconic event for downtown Sarasota.

However, perhaps due to those attendance figures and the corresponding closures along Main Street, the motorcycle event has not gone without its detractors — included among them City Commissioner Susan Chapman. On Monday, Chapman expressed her belief that Thunder by the Bay has outgrown its current location, negatively impacting businesses in the area for several days.

She suggested relocating the event outside of downtown. If not that, then maybe a move outside of the city altogether would make sense.

“Perhaps they would like to go to North Port, who is looking for big events,” Chapman said. “It pretty much shuts down downtown for a weekend.”

The conversation illustrates a problem the city is running into with special events. As Sarasota grows, particularly as a seasonal destination, special events that shut down well-trafficked segments of the city draw more complaints. Earlier this year, the city dealt with some negative merchant and resident feedback regarding John Ringling Causeway Bridge closures for road races.

The city has taken some measures to address these concerns. Earlier this year, it approved a permanent moratorium on special events at St. Armands Circle Park during the height of season. Last June, the commission also approved a moratorium on Main Street closures between Orange and Gulfstream avenues, which is set to expire Sept. 30.

At Monday’s City Commission meeting, the board was debating whether to extend that moratorium, make it permanent or let it expire. In addition to Thunder by the Bay, the moratorium also includes exemptions for parades and the New Year’s Eve pineapple drop. Although the commission directed staff to bring back a resolution to extend the moratorium for another year, the majority of the board steered away from Chapman’s position on a permanent ban.

“We want our businesses to thrive, but we're also open for events,” Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell said. “We need to take a hard look at how we manage it better.”

"We want our businesses to thrive, but we're also open for events." — Suzanne Atwell

Sarasota Downtown Merchants Association President Ron Soto said Main Street businesses are generally divided regarding the benefit of special events — restaurants and bars like them, while retail stores and others don't. Regarding Thunder by the Bay, Soto said he understood the stance of residents and businesses upset by the street closures, but he thought the event's longevity in the community and altruistic nature made it worth preserving.

“There's merchants that say it kills their business,” Soto said. “It kills my business. But that's a charity that keeps all the money here in Sarasota.”

Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County, said other communities in the region are facing similar events problems, particularly during the busiest part of the year. She said it was common for seasonal destinations to hold marquee events when the town was most crowded, and that people often visit those destinations because of the events. Although she doesn't think Sarasota is at a critical mass, she did say the city needs to keep a close eye on the situation as it grows.

“I think it's about balancing,” Haley said. “I think what we have currently is not too much for us to absorb.”

"I think what we have currently is not too much for us to absorb." — Virginia Haley

Even as commissioners signaled an interest in prolonging the moratorium through September 2016, the board did encourage other routes for addressing management issues with special events, including a better coordination of parking plans with event organizers and local institutions. At a budget workshop June 29, Atwell and Chapman agreed that additional staffing might be necessary to ensure events and street closures are running smoothly, particularly during the height of season.

“I wonder why we don’t have an events coordinator that is required to be out at the event, to make sure all of the requirements we want to make it livable for the rest of the population are there,” Chapman said.

Debbie Perez, the city’s municipal auditorium manager, said many cities from Tampa to Naples have workers on-site during events in a troubleshooting role. City Manager Tom Barwin said staff would look into budgeting for such a position during larger events in the urban core, although Perez noted giving one individual that responsibility may not always be feasible.

“A lot of special events start before it's daylight and end at 2 o'clock in the morning,” Perez said. “There are some challenges."

The proposed special events office budget includes fee increases to help cover an operating deficit. If approved, permit fees for special events with street closures would increase 45%, and fees for races such as the Sarasota Music Half Marathon would double to $2,200.

Originally, the Main Street moratorium was approved to address the amount of construction ongoing downtown. The construction of the State Street garage was producing a temporary loss of 139 parking spaces, and, until that was completed, the city wanted to be sure that businesses would be able to provide parking to their customers.

The State Street garage is set to open this month, but commissioners still expressed an interest in preventing any burden on downtown businesses over the next year.

Despite the skepticism surrounding the special events status quo — and the search for a solution — the city is not ready to tell events such as Thunder by the Bay to look for a new home.

“Thunder by the Bay is a very popular event,” Commissioner Liz Alpert said. “Obviously, it gets bigger because people want the event, and they come to it.”