RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council approve the suggested changes to the Memorial Day Fiesta and direct staff to work with the Chamber of Commerce to implement the changes.

BACKGROUND: The City Council appointed a sub-committee of Councilmembers Edgerton and Oakes to meet with the Chamber of Commerce and businesses in the downtown area to go over the concerns expressed at the November 10, 1999 meeting. The sub-committee met on January 8, 1999, and developed a plan to keep all of the familiar activities and still generate enough revenue for Chamber.

Several changes to the operation of the Fiesta are recommended including the keeping the booths up on Saturday and Sunday nights; locating the children's ride area to the west 1/3 portion of Lot A; running the shuttle into the evening; adding a chili cookoff with beer tasting on 11th Street; moving the south stage to the chili cookoff area; have the petting zoo in Shark's Cove parking lot; develop a plan to help adjacent restaurants to get health permits for outside sales.

The sub-committee also discussed having a theme for future Fiesta's. Developing a theme was to be worked during the next few months so it could be considered for the Labor Day Fiesta or later Fiesta's.

These changes will allow the Fiesta to meet the goals set forth in the smaller area. Future changes, as the Fiesta evolves, can be considered in the manner that these have been made. It is possible that the format of future events could change depending on how successful this new format it.

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