The City of Pittburgh will solicit sponsorship deals with the help of a firm called The Active Network, reports the P-G's Rich Lord. This assistance will cost the city $75,000 plus 12% of the take."We raise revenue without raising taxes," said Don Schulte, director of The Active Network's properties division. "This isn't about signage. It's about having corporations find ways to give back to the community without being offensive."
Original Research: Don Schulte was president of the Public Enterprise Group, before that firm was purchased as a division of The Active Network. Some of their work involved selling space on "municipal furniture," which can include everything from lavatories to parking-space blocks. But the firm seems most proud of their work making Coca-Cola the "Official City Beverage" of Huntington Beach, California. All public vending machines and snack bars now sell only Coke products.
What the Comet finds most interesting is that many Huntington Beach public concerts and events now take place on something called the Coca-Cola Main Stage. It reminds us of the controversial renovations being made for the purposes of providing a larger, better stage at Point State Park. We wonder if this is why the Fort Pitt preservationist objections are being met with "BUDGET ... DEADLINES ... LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!"
good year
ReplyDeleteI find it very refreshing that Mayor Ravenstahl is utilizing new (as usual, to this area but old-hat elsewhere) and innovative techniques to raise much-needed funds for our cash-strapped city. Luke should be commended for bringing fresh ideas to the table and acting on them for a change, instead of bogging down every positive action with study after endless study, as we're used to in this town. Luke's injecting fresh ideas into the city's operation is also a fine example that having a young visionary at the helm of our city will benefit the region in a positive way. And I suspect this is only the beginning. We need to keep the Ravenstahl ball rolling.
ReplyDeleteLuke didn't bring these ideas here. Les Ludwig did. He had been going to city council meetings since 2003 talking about how new income streams could be found. Les was working on this for YEARS. Les knew he could generate $7-million a year. Luke is talking $.5M to $1M.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of lost income for a lot of lost years. And, it was a local guy, not some Calif. firm.
We spoke together at an event at the Pgh Parks Conservancy (I think) -- years ago on some parks elements -- including this.
Luke -- too little, too late. And, hire Les.
Luke's 2007 budget address even included the words, "Do more with Les."
Sigh.