ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SDEC’s Timeline of Achievements

SDEC works tirelessly with elected officials, special event oversight officials, and event vendors to advocate for the special event industry on every level.  Here are some of the highlights of our accomplishments since our launch in 2020.

That’s a lot of action & awareness from this coalition in the short time we have been working together! If one person or company tried to take on these challenges, it is very unlikely that we would have seen success. Our all-volunteer team has made huge strides on behalf of all event producers in the region.

San Diego County parks fees

• Events planned in County parks were faced with a number of proposed changes that would have had huge impact on their budgets, but through our efforts we were able to prevent them from happening.
  

Jan 2022 – Projected Police Fee increase in 2023

• We mobilized our members to address impact this would have on events.
• SDEC engaged with location politicians and decision makers to open discussion on the timeline for this rollout.
• As a result of our efforts, the cost increase was delayed, phasing in over 5 years rather than 3 years.
• This was one of most significant winds and great win & efforts from our members working together.
• This effort attracted a good amount of media attention.
  

Jan 2022 – Fire Dept Structural Engineering Mandate

• The city introduced a new program requiring stages and structures to be approved through complicated and costly engineering plans.
• SDEC mobilized quickly and host a webindar for our members to help them navigate this new regulation, and avoid many additional costs.
  

July 2021 – Through work with Mayor Gloria’s office, SDEC advocated for live events, and the City of SD earmarked $2mm for the Special Events industry

Dec. 2021 – Worked with ABC and City of San Diego to develop mixed-ages pilot program for alcohol service.

• With prior approval, all- ages events can sell alcohol without the use of fenced beer gardens!.
• Many events in the County have safely and responsibly instituted this change.
  

May 2021 – We held a press conference w/ Chair Nathan Fletcher, Chair of Board of Supervisors, Supervisior of San Diego County 4th District

• To create awareness of impact of the shut down on the live events community, businesses & individuals.
  

April 2021 – worked with the County Health Department for Events:

• All health permit fees for events waived from July 2021 to July 2022.
  

Jan 2021 – Met w/ Dr. Pan, Dir of California Health

• Two meetings to discuss and solidify the guidelines for the Safe Reopening of Events.
  

Nov 2020 – County Grant recognition for Special Events

• County was providing grants for Restaurants & Salons.
• SDEC lobbied County Supervisors to make special events eligible for these grants.
  

Sept 2020 – Case March w/ Live Events Coalition

• Members rolled road cases from the County Building to Convention Center to raise awareness of the amount of individuals that were out of work due to the shutdown.
  

Aug 2020 – Public Rally

• SDEC produced a rally at the County Administration Building which gained a great deal of publicity.
• The events industry had not been recognized as an industry prior to this time.
• The rally helped demonstrate that events employ more than 12,000 people in the region, and that companies were having to close down due to CoVid restrictions.
  

Aug 2020 – Through SDEC’s efforts, farmers markets and retail events were allowed to re-open.

• The group surveyed other types of “happenings” that where operating such as swap meets.
• We worked with officials to bring some events back under the guidelines for outdoor retail events.
  

May 2020 – the group created a 35 page document detailing how to safely reopen events

• Health concerns for gathering at events was our initial mission.
• Our planning protocols were used by County Health officials as a guideline for all event producrs.
• The health and safety protocols created recognition for SDEC among city, county and state officials.