Chicago Lakefront Festivals Big Expense for Taxpayers

If you live in Chicago you probably have attended one of the many city-run festivals. Hopefully you did--you paid for them.

The cost to put on these events are picked up by Chicago residents whose tax dollars make it possible to sponsor such popular festivals like The Taste of Chicago. But hold onto your hats because the price for last year's "Taste" was an astronomical $1.5 million; $2 million in total if you throw in the other festivals, just in security alone.

Besides the "Taste," $537,732 was accrued for security with the other lakefront festivals, which include: Gospel $11,909; Blues $ 142, 898; Viva Chicago Latin Music, $41,858; Jazz $89,717; Celtic, $19,701; Country $48,596; plus Venetian Night (which no longer exists), $62,234; and Air and Water Show $117,816.

The numbers are large and getting larger. These staggering amounts caused Mayor Daley's office to say "no can do," axing the traditional July 3 fireworks show in Grant Park. The Independence Day celebration normally attracts 1.2 million spectators. Last year, 1,642 police officers were used to keep crowds safe, carrying a price tag of $550,891 for their services.

With a big red deficit and decline of corporate sponsorship, the city's scaled-down versions of July 4 fireworks at Navy Pier, Montrose Harbor, and 59th Street were put on for citizens instead.

Ironically, the savings the city was hoping to gain as a result of the changes were never realized. All that and not a dime was saved! Get this--it turned out the cost for the three fireworks shows came to a grand total of $756,476. Spent in one single night.

The gloomy financial picture only supports Mayor Daley's plans to privatize "The Taste"and other lakefront festivals. The costs included just for security don't even take into consideration a private contractor used for crowd control and bag searches at the gates.

The quality and quantity of Chicago summer festivals may in jeopardy. Changes may have to be implemented, some that may perhaps alter the flavor or characteristics of some festivals permanently. Others may face elimination all together, just like Venetian Night.

Peter Scales, a representative from the City's Office of Budget and Management indicates they will be soliciting private firms, requesting proposals from planning the event, security plans, execution, right down to the clean up.

The requests-for-proposals are still being put together, but will probably go out soon. The sooner, the better. Until they determine the interested parties in this venture, the city pretty much will have to wait for answers to this financial dilemma.

How much will private firms be willing to give? What will they be willing to do? Only time will tell. These festivals have put Chicago on the map as the premiere city to visit for free summer fun. They are events that frame our town, our communities. I couldn't imagine a summer in the Windy City without them.

Sources

suntimes.com