Summer movies in the park! The City of Denver is in the final stages of approving a contract with a company to begin holding public movie events in Civic Center Park this summer. On Monday, the Denver City Council is expected to approve a bill that will allow the outdoor cinema company US Open Air, LLC to show films in the “meadow” portion of the park (adjacent to the McNichols Building) from July 14 through August 12.
Apparently some of the screenings will tie in with the Biennial of the Americas art events, but most of the movies will be recent releases they hope will draw as many as 1,400 viewers. The company will provide seating and a 3-story screen that rises via a hydraulic lift system. Food and booze will be sold.
Other cities have had great success with these types of open-air movies showings as a way to draw people downtown and away from the suburban multiplexes. Certainly Denver’s Civic Center Park — which is finally getting funds released for long delayed restoration) — needs events just like this to help it rise from its current underutilized status into a public space that is truly alive and engaging.
The only rub about this plan: the movies won’t be free… or even cheap. According to the presentation US Open Air made to Council last month, tickets will cost anywhere between $15 and $20. Part of this hefty price could be the fees the company is expected to fork over to the city. US Open Air will “pay a $15,000 park fee plus $45,000 for park restoration. It will collect seat tax on tickets sold. Revenue to the City is estimated to be between $63,000 and $100,000.” Those numbers must sound pretty nice to city officials wrestling with an epic budget shortfall. But does anyone really expect 1,400 people in this economy to pay $20 bucks plus tax for an outdoor movie? That’s a month subscription to Netflix!
Heck, why not just borrow a projector and a Buster Keaton flick from the Central Library and set up a screen in the Greek amphitheater? Now that’s the true spirit of a summer movie in the park: free, fun and public.
I was thinking AWESOME – until I got to the $20 viewing fee. Are you kidding me? I will just go up the street to Cheesman Park where they have free outdoor movies.
Ditto, Brendan!
Though I do like the thought of having classic silent movies playing in the amphitheater for free…
At least you can buy crack in the Park for cheap.
I’m with you on just setting up a free screen at the Greek Amphitheatre. That would seem a bit more “civic”.
some other aspects of this:
* part of the park will be fenced off to the public (the owners of the park), possibly in violation of the city charter
* the net payments received by the city could be little more than a blip (the $45K is to fix the damage this will cause to the park, so it doesn’t add to the bottom line)
* those who want to weigh in should know that a public hearing on the contract will be held Tuesday, 19 January at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Room 451
for a dour assesment of this plan, see http://denverdirect.blogspot.com/2010/01/urgent-message-from-cathy-donohue.html
I agree about the cost!
Denver should realize that the increased utilization of a public space is enough of an asset to the city that all the extra income is unnecessary.
What if they just taxed the popcorn and corn dog stands instead of the tickets?
Who do they think is gonna come to this thing, wealthy retired couples? No, it’s most likely gonna be a bunch of college kids from Auraria and surrounding areas and 20-something bohemians.
Charge ordinary sales tax on the ticket, make sure that the company covers the cleanup cost, and let the mobs of people buying food and spending taxed dollars on the 16th Street mall bring in assets for the city.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who feels this way. I’m all for bringing people into the park, but fencing off a large section for two months and charging admission seems very, very wrong.
I’d go atleast once to say I did it.
Life on Capitol Hill, the neighborhood newspaper, had two thorough articles about this proposal (and controversy) in its January issue:
http://www.lifeoncaphill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1334&Itemid=118
and
http://www.lifeoncaphill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1333&Itemid=118
OpenAir is a one-of-a-kind outdoor cinematic experience that has had tremendous success around the world for the past 20 years. The fact they want to make their U.S. debut in Civic Center is huge for Denver – and huge for a park that is in desperate need of activation.
The space that will be utilized for the movies is less than 10% of Civic Center park. And for anyone who frequents Civic Center, you know that the space in general is under-utilized…hence the safety problems.
Admission is $15 in advance. Not only will the event feature first-run movies, but also local food and beverage. It’s a whole cinematic experience.
The City will earn badly-needed revenues from this event, including funds specifically to benefit local parks. These revenues are in addition to the OpenAir funds earmark to replace any damaged sod, etc.
Civic Center is a beautiful park, but public spaces – no matter how well-designed or well-located will be empty if not programmed. And empty spaces invite undesirable activity. It is well past time to reclaim this historic urban oasis as the vibrant public amenitity its founders intended and this community deserves.
Folks who support activating Civic Center should contact City Council members and/or attend the public hearing tonight.
In case you missed it, City Council last night approved the lease agreement for the movies in the park.
Apparently the contract is for the second and third summers in City Park and only the first year in Civic Park.
It will not be a success at $15-$20. No way. This is surely from the same brilliant minds that brought us parking meters that need to be fed til 10pm. Genious…