It was announced today the Arts, Beats & East festival will be moving from Pontiac to Royal Oak in 2010.
After bungling the sale of the Silverdome, this is another blow to a city that can't afford anymore setbacks.
Here is the report from the Oakland Press:
After weeks of speculation, officials announced Tuesday that Arts, Beats & Eats will relocate from Pontiac to Royal Oak over Labor Day Weekend beginning in 2010.
Festival producer Jon Witz announced the festival’s move before an enthusiastic gathering of politicians and business owners at a press conference held at Sangria Tapas Cafe in Royal Oak — and signed a five-year contract with city officials.
Reports about moving the four-day event began in November when Witz acknowledged he had been talking to Royal Oak officials because he had no contract with Pontiac — the popular festival’s home since it began in 1998.
Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison said the event “fits Royal Oak” and added that the city’s Downtown Development Authority will invest $100,000 up front to assist the festival, which is expected to draw 450,000 to the city.
“We’ll recoup funds paid out for police and fire from parking fees,” Ellison said. “This event will have a profoundly positive impact on the city.”
On Monday, both the Downtown Development Authority and the Royal Oak City Commission voted to approve the festival.
Oakland County Executive — and festival founder — L. Brooks Patterson called Tuesday’s announced venue change the “worst kept secret in the world,” drawing laughs from the crowd.
“It’s an exciting move,” said Patterson, and that coming to Royal Oak, which has 500 businesses in the city, “bodes well for this great festival.”
Patterson said the festival has been ranked in the top 2 to 3 percent of similar festivals in the nation.
Patterson also said nonprofit organizations will benefit, noting that in the past, festival organizers had given $2.2 million back to local charities.
“This is not to cast aspersions on Pontiac, the past host city,” Patterson said.
He said the county and Pontiac businesses were “crestfallen about the decision to move.
“The economy changes a lot of things. The city of Pontiac has made demands that are hard to meet. We wish bon voyage to Pontiac with no recriminations, but look forward to being here in Royal Oak,” Patterson said.
Witz said he worked four weeks to secure the move to Royal Oak. He praised city leaders for working with him.
“The key to making it work is collaboration,” he said.
Witz took a moment to discuss leaving Pontiac.
“The city, residents and downtown businesses were incredible hosts for years. The downtown was safe and vibrant with the Phoenix Center there for concerts.
“We were not looking to move the festival. We simply did not reach an agreement. It was a reflection of the vision — or lack thereof — of the city leaders.”
The 2010 festival plans
Witz said 150 musicians and artists would be taking part in the Royal Oak festival.
The festival will have the same square footage as the Pontiac venue, Witz said, stretching along West Washington Street stretching west to Lafayette, east and north to the railroad tracks and south to Lincoln.
The national stage will be set up in a 35,000-square-foot parking lot in town.
Officials said that Boys & Girls Club of South Oakland County, based in Royal Oak, will benefit and Stagecrafters at the Baldwin Theatre will host events at their theater.
A new logo was debuted at the press conference that featured the familiar three colored circles representing Arts, Beats, Eats and, below them, the words Royal Oak.
Jim Domanski, a director with the Downtown Development Authority, said the investment of “up to $100,000 by the authority is still in the planning stage. The festival needs the (funding) and we were willing to help.”
Domanski said he expected millions to be spent in the city during one of the slowest times of the year — Labor Day.
Royal Oak business
owners applaud
Bill Zipp, a part owner in Five 15 Washington, a gift shop on Washington Street, said he is excited about the festival’s switch.
“Pontiac has had great success for years,” Zipp said. “The thought it is coming here is really, really awesome. I’m glad they found the space.”
As for the crowds, “we’ll work it out. I’m not bothered by the traffic.”
Andrey Tomkiw, an attorney with Tomkiw Dalton on Fourth Street, concurred.
“It’s a very good thing for the business community and city as a whole,” he said.
“It’ll bring foot traffic the businesses need to survive a very dry season (Labor Day).”
Steve Garrett, owner of Kinsey-Garrett Funeral Home on Lafayette, said, while the festival will be good for the city, “there will be some businesses that will not benefit and I’m one of them,” he said.
“I have gone to the festival in Pontiac almost every year and it’s fun. I’ll enjoy being able to walk to it next year.”
City Commissioner Dave Poulton said state fairgoers, disappointed they won’t have the Michigan State Fair in 2010, can come into Royal Oak for Arts, Beats & Eats.
“We have a central location,” he said. “It’s one era closing and another one opening.”
Luigi Cutraro, owner of Sangria and a Downtown Development Authority member, said he had urged his friend Witz to relocate the festival for years.
He said he believes Pontiac giving up the festival is a “mistake, but I’m kind of glad they made the mistake.”
If the part about Pontiac not contacting the festival's organizers is true, then someone needs to be held accountable. Arts, Beats & Eats requested $100,000 for expenses but it is well worth the money. The event brought hundreds of thousands of people to Pontiac each year. It was a boom to businesses.
If Pontiac would have done things right, the city could have reaped some financial gains as well. But, Pontiac is left looking inept.
To help Michigan rebound, the state will need cities like Pontiac, Flint, Mount Clemens and especially Detroit to prosper.
As for Royal Oak, getting Arts, Beats & Eats is an incredible opportunity. Royal Oak has always been considered a great city where people love to go and have fun. This adds another dimension to the area. According to the Oakland Press report, Labor Day is a slow time for Royal Oak, so the festival will definitely be a plus.
I have a feeling those in charge in Royal Oak will do a better job than Pontiac with this event, and that's too bad for Pontiac.
