A New Festival In Pasadena?

Neighbors have expressed concern the festival could turn into a mini-Coachella in their own back yard, but Rose Bowl CEO Darryl Dunn explained to the paper organizers are envisioning something a little more in line with a New Orleans Jazz Festival.

The event would include music, art and food to appeal to “multigenerational music fans from Southern California and beyond,” he said. Under the terms of a preliminary agreement, the RBOC is seeking a 10-year deal with two five-year renewal options. And once the fest kicks off, it would need to run for three consecutive years before the Rose Bowl or AEG could end the deal without cause.

City Councilman Victor Gordo, who also sits on the RBOC board, explained a balance must be struck as a summer concert series at the Rose Bowl last year led to complaints from some nearby residents.

“We went through a very successful summer in terms of programming and the finances of the stadium, but there’s no question it had an impact on the surrounding neighborhoods,” he told the Star-News. “So we’re attempting to strike a balance that gives the neighbors certainty in terms of when an event will occur and the type of event that will be at the stadium and we’re also trying to have certainty in terms of the stadium’s finances and so a music and arts festival provides that certainty.

“We need the festival to be upscale with the best of music, the best of food and other refreshments and we need it to be uniquely Pasadena and that’s the challenge,” Gordo said.

The city plans to study the potential effects of a festival through an Environmental Impact Report before the fest is allowed to proceed.