Rose Bowl Strategic Plan:
The Rose Bowl Operating Company proposes to manage a multi-track process to develop and implement a plan for the future of the Rose Bowl that will seek to ensure its financial stability and its continuing status as a preeminent college football stadium.
The Rose Bowl Strategic Plan is a combination of a proposed master plan (long-term physical improvements to the stadium) along with a comprehensive financing plan for its implementation. Both elements began in earnest in 2006 with the combined efforts of the Rose Bowl Operating Company and City of Pasadena along with the stadium's primary football tenants; the Tournament of Roses and UCLA.
Summary:
The establishment of the Rose Bowl Master Plan will provide a roadmap for the City that addresses the stadium's needs and programmatic requirements to preserve the stadium far into the future. The Rose Bowl is the icon for the City of Pasadena and has special meaning to sports fans throughout the United States as well as internationally. The stadium is one of the top college football stadiums in the country and has hosted some of the world's most significant events. However, there are some very important issues that need to be addressed, particularly safer exiting for patrons, re-organization and expansion of space on its concourse, utility upgrades, additional concession stands and restrooms in order to have an appropriate quantity of each for a stadium that has a 90,000 seat capacity. Dedicating a revenue stream is an important element to maintain this large landmark properly for the long term.
The Process:
The Master Plan process involved user groups and representatives from the Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC), City of Pasadena, Tournament of Roses, and UCLA to establish goals, evaluate the existing conditions, and propose future programmatic needs for the stadium for the next 20-30 years. Additionally, the community was invited to participate in the progress of the study by way of informal meetings, public hearings, and open houses.
Simultaneously a Market Analysis was conducted to estimate potential incremental revenues that may be generated by a renovation to the Rose Bowl. In particular, a comprehensive survey was conducted to determine the potential demand for premium seating products such as luxury suites, loge boxes, and club seats. In addition, the survey assessed the need and demand for lounge areas, meeting space, banquet areas, etc. This demand assessment was then evaluated in conjunction with other space needs (press, staff, tenants, etc.) to determine facility size/space requirements.
Goals and objectives were established to provide direction for the design team.
- Capitalize on the stadium History and Setting of the Rose Bowl
- Maintain the stadium on the National Register of Historic Places
- Respect the setting and neighbors
- Improve public safety
- Develop a revenue stream
- Provide modern amenities for an enhanced fan experience
- Improve seating comfort
- Minimize seat loss
- Unify the concessions and restrooms on the plaza level
- Improve facility infrastructure and technology
- Improve accessibility and use of the stadium on non-event days
Five main Project Objectives were identified from the established goals.
- Improve Public Safety
- Maintain Historic Landmark status
- Enhance fan experience
- Enhance facility operations and Utility Infrastructure
- Create revenue stream for long term reinvestment in the stadium
Alternative solutions were proposed in the form of visual Conceptual Designs that met the program needs and goals for the master plan. Conceptual Project Costs were established and potential priority phasing developed.
Pursuant to Section 15163 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) a Supplemental EIR was prepared to analyze specific changes to the Rose Bowl Stadium Renovation Project since the environmental analysis for the previous proposal was certified by City Council on May 16, 2005. The SEIR considers environmental impacts and compares the current proposed project to the previous EIR to determine any change in severity of impact(s) or level(s). Impacts areas analyzed were Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural and Historic Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation/Traffic, and Utilities and Service Systems.
A Draft SEIR was circulated among the public and the City's Planning, Design, and Historic Preservation Commissions during a 60-day comment period, from Monday, December 17, 2007 to February 14, 2008. The minimum 45-day review period was extended to 60 days due to the end of the year holidays. Responses to comments received during the public review period as well as the proposed Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the project are included as Chapters 8 and 9 of the Final SEIR respectively.
The Final SEIR and proposed mitigation measures was certified by the City Council on June 2, 2008. The Final SEIR defines the 'envelope' for any future improvements to the Rose Bowl. By certifying the FSEIR the Council acknowledges that the document is complete and that it fully analyzed the impacts of the proposed project.
Next Steps:
The RBOC is working diligently on the development of a financial plan that will be acceptable to the: Tournament of Roses, UCLA and City of Pasadena. As part of the financial plan a "project," will be developed in terms of improvements that will be able to be funded as phase one of the Master Plan.
In addition, staff is currently working on analyzing the feasibility of one or two "test tunnels," which would double the width of individual tunnels in order to improve exiting within the stadium.
Working with the community, to include neighborhood associations, the business district and the citizenry of Pasadena on the efforts to stabilize the future of the Rose Bowl are ongoing.
