2006 - 2007 annual report

2006
- 2007 annual report
www.thesunsetstrip.com
2006
- 2007 annual report
www.thesunsetstrip.com
The Sunset Strip – Only in West Hollywood
The Sunset Strip is so much more than a mile-plus stretch of road blazing
through the heart of West Hollywood. It is an iconic locale where some
of the greatest artists and entertainers have made their mark. Starting in
the 1920s and 30s, The Strip gave rise to a whole generation of glamorous
nightclubs – such as the Café Trocadero, Players Club, and Ciro’s – where
the likes of Nat King Cole, Xavier Cugat and Hazel Scott performed for
glittering stars bedecked in glamorous evening attire. The allure of The Strip’s
entertainment and its oh-so-private getaways for the stars – at places like the
Sunset Tower – made it the country’s premier entertainment destination.
During the 1960s’ and 70s’ the Sunset Strip was revived with a new image
as the center of the counterculture movement – where concertgoers and
young adults stayed out all night to see artists such as Buffalo Springfield,
The Byrds and Jimi Hendrix at their favorite nightclubs. The Doors became
the house band at the Whisky in 1967, and night after night they performed
“Light My Fire,” and Jim Morrison mesmerized the crowd with his outrageous
and intense performances. In 1975, Bruce Springsteen gave a breakthrough
concert at the Roxy and launched his storied career. Many other artists have
been catapulted into legendary status after stints on The Strip, including Van
Halen, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue, Prince, David Bowie and Neil Young.
Most recently, these clubs have launched the careers of the Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Korn, The White Stripes, Jane’s Addiction and The Strokes.
Today, the Sunset Strip continues to blaze its own path as the leading
destination for the latest in music and entertainment. Never satisfied with
the most recent trends, the clubs, restaurants, shops, hotels and music
venues along the untamed Strip continue to boldly break new ground.
Many of these businesses and destinations are consistently featured on the
“world’s best” lists, including the Sunset Plaza, SkyBar, Mondrian, Sunset
Tower Hotel, Asia de Cuba, Katana, and many others. To help ensure that
“The Strip” retains its allure for years to come, a group of dedicated
businesses established the Sunset Strip Business Association (SSBA).
www.thesunsetstrip.com
The Sunset Strip Business Association
The SSBA is a nonprofit corporation run by Sunset Strip business owners in West
Hollywood with approximately 200 members, comprised mainly of businesses in the
hotel, restaurant, retail, valet/parking and nightclub areas. Created in 2002, its directive
is to manage the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District under contract with the
City of West Hollywood.
Based upon meetings with and feedback from businesses, city staff, and area residents,
four main service priorities remain the key focus of the Business Improvement District.
These services provided under the Business Improvement District generally fall into one
of four categories:
Public Safety
Maintenance
Public Outreach, Policy Development, and Administration
Marketing the Sunset Strip
www.thesunsetstrip.com
Provide Private Security (Ambassadors)
Approximately 70% of the Association’s total assessment dollars are used for the
increased public safety presence currently contracted with Block-by-Block, which provides
up to 10 uniformed, highly visible security personnel.
Under supervision from the Director of Security, Block-by-Block officers (Security
Ambassadors) provide a presence on Sunset Boulevard seven (7) nights-per-week.
Working closely with the Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station and the City of
West Hollywood, the Sunset Strip Security Ambassadors aim to improve the quality of
life for residents and businesses. Their purpose is to reduce crime and unwanted behavior
as well as provide a positive perception of safety on and near The Strip. The Security
Ambassadors also act as an extra set of eyes and ears for the West Hollywood Sheriff’s
Department, and serve an additional role as representatives of The Strip, offering information
and directions to visitors of the Sunset Strip.
Security Ambassadors are deployed to assigned zones and patrol the area on foot, on bicycle, by
automobile, and maintain a strong working relationship with local law enforcement. In addition, team
members deter visitors from entering residential areas and routinely instruct loitering visitors to keep
their voices down, turn down radios, and move along to their destination. The Security Ambassadors have
a direct cellular telephone number for businesses and residences to call when assistance is needed
immediately – (310) 210-7622.
Security Ambassadors complete and submit daily activity reports. The statistics are compiled weekly and
provided to the Sunset Strip Business Association.
The following are the results for
2006/07 (July – June).
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Visitor Assistance Business Contacts Homeless Assistance Motorist Assistance Bike Miles Ridden Vehicle Miles 4086
5774
353
75
5623
3655
All the hard work has not gone unnoticed; former State Assemblyman
Paul Koretz recognized SSBA and the
Security Ambassadors for improving
the business and residential environments of The Strip.
www.thesunsetstrip.com
Provide Increased Street
Maintenance Presence
The SSBA retains Social Vocational Services (SVS) to supply
additional cleaning and maintenance services to the District.
SVS services Sunset Boulevard from the district’s west to
east boundaries and the residential neighborhoods immediately
adjacent to the Sunset Strip. SVS employees provide street
cleaning along the entire length of the District on Sunset
Boulevard and into the adjoining neighborhoods five (5) daysper-week – Wednesday through Sunday. SSBA staff works
with SVS supervisors and street teams to review progress,
identify trouble spots, and direct maintenance needs.
SVS keeps records of the numbers of trash bags collected:
o
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Third Quarter 2006
Fourth Quarter 2006 First Quarter 2007 Second Quarter 2007 736
868
698
732
Additionally, it was determined that, although manual litter
patrol is a vital element of the overall cleaning program, it
needs to be supplemented with other methods of cleaning.
So SSBA – in partnership with the City of West Hollywood –
contracted with a company to pressure wash the sidewalks
the entire 1.3-mile length of the Sunset Strip last June.
Public Outreach, Policy Development, and Administration
The Sunset BID continues to reach out to the community for input, comments, and suggestions through
open forums, correspondence and one-on-one meetings with member businesses, City staff, area
residents, and law enforcement. Sunset Strip Business Association staff works with these groups
to help create policies to improve the business and residential environment on and near The Strip. The
Board of Directors’ monthly meetings remain open to the public.
It is the goal of the SSBA to engage the residents and businesses in a constructive dialogue to address
and solve issues together that affect the Sunset Strip and the neighborhoods. Community members
continue to show interest in the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District by attending monthly
Board meetings and speaking during the public comment.
To further this goal, SSBA hosts periodic receptions for residential and business neighbors to discuss
“The Strip” and the Business Improvement District. Last year, the SSBA held neighborhood receptions
attracting over 120 business representatives, City officials and residents.
Marketing “The Strip” as
a Premier Destination
The Sunset Strip Business Association has been working on many
fronts to promote The Strip as a premier destination and brand.
Due to its cultural and historical significance as well as its “hipness”
quotient, there are many opportunities for targeted marketing
campaigns and programs. To that end, a number of projects are
being developed to better showcase all The Strip has to offer.
To raise revenue to fund the most prioritized needs of the
Association, SSBA secured Jack Daniel’s as the sponsor of the
Sunset Strip banner program. To celebrate this partnership, Jack
Daniel’s and the SSBA sponsored a music event paying tribute
to James Brown – “The Godfather of Soul.” Hosted by the WhiskyA-Go-Go, the event drew over 500 people, who were treated to
special performances by Ali Ollie Woodson of the Temptations;
James Brown’s widow, Tomi Rae Brown; Queen V; and Buddy
Miles, who played with Jimi Hendrix.
Last winter, SSBA, in partnership with 944 Magazine, held a
launch party for its official website – WWW.THESUNSETSTRIP.
COM. Grammy Award winner Macy Gray spun records at the
event, which attracted 225 people and a host of celebrities. The
website is the official online resource for information and news
on restaurants, shows, shopping, nightlife and everything that is
the Sunset Strip. The website is currently promoted through the
Sunset Strip Banners, Google.com, Yahoo.com, and Ask.com. It
currently receives an average of 80,000 page views each month.
The SSBA will soon be launching the next phase of the website,
which will feature a new editorial section with professional
writers providing the copy; there will be music reviews and colorful
reports about The Strip.
www.thesunsetstrip.com
Grammy Award winner Macy Gray at the launch of
“TheSunsetStrip.com – Only in West Hollywood”
Ali Ollie Woodson, former lead singer of the Temptations, pays tribute to the late James Brown
at the “Paint the Strip Jack” event held at the Whisky.
The SSBA received an opportunity to promote the Sunset Strip by providing a prize package for Wheel
of Fortune. Hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, the syndicated game show is the longest-running,
most successful series, airing on 207 stations representing more than 99% of the country. The Sunset
Strip prize package aired on ABC Channel 7 last February and was seen by over 14.7 million people
nationwide, according to Neilsen Media Research.
In an effort to determine what brings people to the Sunset Strip, The West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors
Bureau contracted with Lauren Schlau Consulting (LSC) to complete a visitor profile and economic impact
study of West Hollywood visitors (people living beyond Los Angeles County). LSC provided a profile of
the visitors who were interviewed at and patronized venues on the Sunset Strip, and how they compare
to all West Hollywood visitors.
The following are the Sunset Strip Visitor stats derived from the study:
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Average visitor group size (persons)
Average daily spending per group
Median Age
Average annual household income
2.47
$407
36
$125,720
The SSBA, in partnership with the City of West Hollywood is planning to hold the first annual Sunset Strip
Music Festival in 2008. This celebration is intended to promote, preserve, and perpetuate the legendary
Sunset Strip music experience. Festivities will include a tribute to Sunset Strip icons Lou Adler, Mario
Maglieri and Elmer Valentine, performances by some of the latest and hottest artists, and, roundtable
discussions among music legends and industry experts.
Sunset Strip Business Association has partnered with world renowned agency M&C Saatchi – whose
client’s include Ketel One Vodka, Country of Australia, US Department of Commerce, and the San Diego
Zoo – to conduct a branding and positioning study for the Sunset Strip. Critical to implementing a complete
marketing plan, this study will define and articulate the Sunset Strip. It will elucidate the perceptions of
The Strip at a local, national and international level, and will also provide clarity and consistency to messages
and experiences to positively influence relationships and loyalty to The Strip. This study will not only
provide a framework to focus marketing efforts and resources, but it will result in the creation of a logo
and image for the Sunset Strip. If The Strip does not proactively manage its identity, it runs the risk of
being positioned by competitors and others.
Once the Sunset Strip branding and positioning strategy/study has concluded, other efforts can be
initiated, including a Public Relations program, relationship marketing initiatives, and events to promote
The Strip. This effort will create positive awareness of the Sunset Strip in the minds of the public,
community leaders, and members of the media in order to broaden awareness and reinforce the new
Sunset Strip brand.
SSBA Budget
The Association’s current assessment budget is $591,500. Of this budget, about 69% of the funds are
earmarked for security services, while 7% go toward cleaning services and the remaining 24% go to
administration, operations, office rent and public outreach functions. Additional monies raised by the
banner sponsorship program or other revenue generators go towards enhancing the goals of SSBA and
specifically for marketing programs, as well as increased administrative and operating costs.
How is Business on the Sunset Strip?
Business on The Strip has grown year after year since 2001/02. Over the last 5 years the taxable sales
has increased by over 24%.
Sunset Strip Total Annual Taxable Sales
Source: City of WEHO
$250,000,000
Taxable sales include, but are not
limited to: Clothing, accessories,
food and beverage sold on Sunset
Boulevard in West Hollywood.
Taxable sales are determined by
point of sale and may include taxable sales from businesses that
have offices on Sunset Blvd. that
are not traditional retail storefront
operations.
$240,000,000
$230,000,000
$220,000,000
$210,000,000
$200,000,000
$190,000,000
$180,000,000
$170,000,000
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04 2004-05
www.thesunsetstrip.com
2005-06
2006-07
Source: City of West Hollywood
SSBA Board of Directors
2007 - 2008
Dino Baglioni
President
The Standard
Ed Levy
Board Member
The Viper Room
Michael Spencer
Board Member
The Grafton Hotel
Brent Berkowitz
Board Member
BOA Steakhouse/Katana
Jim Uhl
Board Member
House of Blues
Sulynn Jew
Board Member
Hyatt West Hollywood
Kevin McCarney
Board Member
Poquito Mas
Mark Montgomery
Ex-Officio
Montgomery Management Company
Mikeal Maglieri
Board Member
Rainbow Bar & Grill/
Whisky A-Go-Go
Christopher Bonbright
Ex-Officio
Ramsey Shilling
Michael Bezerra
Board Member
Sunset Trocadero/
Cabo Cantina
Michael Sirjani
Board Member
California Parking Systems
Brad Burlingame
Ex-Officio
West Hollywood Marketing
& Visitors Bureau
Jeffrey Huffer
Ex-Officio
City of West Hollywood
Ken Schwartz
Board Member
Oliver Peoples
Sharon Sandow
Ex-Officio
West Hollywood Chamber
of Commerce
Justine Giannini
Board Member
Mirabelle
Todd Steadman
Executive Director
Sunset Strip Business Association
What People Are Saying
“As a direct result of our relationship with the SSBA we have realized a much improved
relationship with our local neighbor residents, a higher level of teamwork and cooperation
with our neighboring businesses, a better understanding of the workings within the City
and local government and, most importantly, a vehicle by which we are able to contribute
and leave our mark on the most famous street in the world - ‘The Sunset Strip.’”
Dino Baglioni, The Standard
“One of the reasons for the success of The Strip, is the constant and dedicated effort
and cooperation of the Sunset Strip Business Improvement District Security Ambassadors
and the men and women of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station. Without these two
factors, The Strip would be just a strip, and not the Sunset Strip.”
Lt. David Smith, West Hollywood Sheriffs’ Station
“The SSBA is a very focused, highly talented group of business owners, working together
with civic leaders and neighbors to improve the business community and preserve the
legacy of the Sunset Strip.“
Michael Spencer, The Grafton Hotel
“The SSBA’s sincere commitment to caring about and responding to the resident’s
concerns have greatly increased the quality of life for those of us that live near The Strip.
The level of safety and security is the best it’s ever been. It’s also nice to see such a
dedicated maintenance crew taking care of Sunset and the surrounding areas. Because
of the SSBA’s involvement, I feel that we’re a very fortunate neighborhood.”
Teri Gustafson, Resident of West Hollywood
“Sunset Strip Business Association provides an environment for business operators,
owners, and residents to discuss issues that are important to them and ultimately make
the Sunset Strip experience richer for everyone.”
Jim Uhl, House of Blues
SSBA Contact Information
The SSBA offices are open M-F 10am to 6pm
and every night of the week 8pm to 3am.
Email: info@thesunsetstrip.com
Phone: 310-659-7368
Fax: 310-659-7364
Security Ambassador Mobile Hotline:
310-210-7622 (8pm–3am)
Designed by Signature Creative Inc.
Photos provided by Sandra Arison, Bob Friday, and Celebrity Babylon
Address: 9040 Sunset Boulevard,
West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.thesunsetstrip.com