Some financial relief could be on the way soon for San Diego’s event industry, which has been devastated by pandemic restrictions.
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher is proposing waiving county permitting fees, which totaled around $2 million in 2019.
"(The year) 2020 obviously tells a very different story. But we're in a position now as we come out of COVID-19, as we come out of this pandemic, we have to intentionally support those industries that have been hardest hit," Fletcher said during a news conference Monday.
He added that more than $3 billion was brought into the county's economy from events in 2019. Event planners say the proposal to waive fees will help them turn their business around.
"It's been incredibly hard," said Laurel McFarlane of McFarlane Promotions which puts on events like San Diego Pride and La Mesa's Oktoberfest.
"I have an 18-year-old son who is going into college and we've used his college fund to survive. So we're not sure how we're going to continue paying for his college. I saved 20 years."
McFarlane estimates her businesses is down more than 80% and waiving permitting fees for county services including sheriff and fire could help turn it around.
"Having these fees waived ... if you can save anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 — that could be the difference of you deciding to go forward with an event," she said.
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McFarlane also leads the San Diego Event Coalition, a group that has been fighting since last year for a seat at the table to negotiate safe reopening guidelines for large events.
"Our (coronavirus) numbers are doing much better," she said. "We want a path back — which every other industry has been given — a path back in the tier system."
For months McFarlane felt like she and the events industry were being ignored and forgotten. Monday she choked up as she thanked Fletcher for listening to their pleas.
"Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for recognizing me. Thank you for providing meaningful support," she said addressing Fletcher while holding back tears. "And most importantly as a mom, thank you for giving me hope for my future and my family's future."
On Friday, state officials announced they were expanding gathering sizes for groups. Private events in the red-reopening tier can have up to 200 guests now if they are all vaccinated and/or have a recent negative test.
"We’ve waited our turn — now it’s time for our industry to be opened up," said Erin Bianchi with Bright Event Rentals and the California Association for Private Events.
Bianchi said the permitting proposal is good news and she said state officials, allowing larger groups, is huge for the local wedding industry.
"Before it was three households, no eating, no drinking for a reception and that’s not the wedding many people have dreamed of," she said, adding some couples she talked to decided to move their weddings to Arizona, which was more open than California.
Bianchi, along with other members of the California Association for Private Events have been in negotiations with state health officials for months.
"It’s got to be economically viable for our wedding planners, our vendors, everyone in order to come back," she said. "It’s got to make sense for them."
The new rules for private events start April 15, and state guidance for the events industry is expected before then.
"My wife and I have had to deplete 100% of our savings not to lose our home," said Mike Kociela who owns Westward Entertainment, which puts on annual events like SoCal Taco Fest.
"That money is the money we'd roll over to the next season and now we're up against the wall sitting here trying to get our business going without any funds. For some of us in our industry it's too late and we've gone out of business."
Fletcher's proposal needs board approval still, and it would waive permitting fees from the department of environmental health, parks and recreation, sheriff's department and fire services.
