HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/10/2020 - Memorandum From Darin Atteberry Re: Gardens On Spring Creek (Garden Of Lights)
City Manager’s Office
City Hall
300 LaPorte Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: November 5, 2020
TO: Mayor & City Councilmembers
FROM: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
RE: Gardens on Spring Creek
Attached is a memo we shared with you in early September. As we approach the holiday season,
I am sharing it as a reminder about the plans for this year’s Garden of Lights event.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
/sek
Attachment
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Memorandum
Date: September 1, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Michelle Provaznik, The Gardens on Spring Creek Executive Director
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
John Stokes, Interim Community Services Area Director
Jim McDonald, Cultural Services Director
RE: The Gardens on Spring Creek Admissions Overview & Garden of Lights Update
Overview:
During last year’s Garden of Lights (GOL) event, several questions were raised regarding the transition
to charging admission for this event. In preparation for the 2020 event, staff felt it would be helpful to
provide an overview of the overall admissions and membership program and equity and access
program that was implemented after expansion and re-opening in November 2019, as well as an
update on planned changes to the GOL event. Additionally, this memo provides a brief update on
adjustments The Gardens on Spring Creek (The Gardens) have made in response to COVID impacts.
Background:
Prior to launching the capital campaign to complete the Gardens, an internal feasibility study was
completed and modelled after a similar study by the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Botanic
gardens across the region were surveyed regarding admissions and memberships, number of staff,
overall budgets, size of the facility and programs offered. This information was used to formulate a
basic business and revenue plan for future operations and in negotiations with the Butterfly Pavilion
for Butterfly House operations. Admissions make up 20% of The Gardens operational budget.
During the Gardens closure in 2019, Gardens staff developed the new admissions program and worked
with Friends of the Gardens board members to develop a new membership program. Benchmarking
was done with 11 cultural organizations across the front range, state and region including Denver
Botanic Garden, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Butterfly Pavilion and
other specific gardens from Colorado, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico and Arizona.
Based upon that research, admission rates were determined. Admission to the Gardens is less than all
benchmarked Front Range cultural institutions.
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Organization Adult Senior Child
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo $19.75 $17.75 $14.75
Denver Botanic Gardens $15.00 $11.50 $11.00
Fort Collins Museum of Discovery $12.50 $9.50 $9.00
Butterly Pavilion $12.00 $10.00 $8.00
Gardens on Spring Creek $11.00 $9.00 $8.00
In addition to the admissions research, the agreement with the Butterfly Pavilion was considered. The
Gardens pays a flat fee (starting at $185,000 in 2020 and going up 2% per year) and 10% of each paid
admission to Butterfly Pavilion. The flat fee pays the hard costs butterfly operations , including 2.5 FTE,
within the house and the percentage of admissions is an incentive so that both parties have a vested
interest in ensuring a quality guest experience.
Similar to last year, The Gardens will offer winter admission rates and hours: ½ price admission during
December – February and hours 10am – 4pm, Sunday – through Saturday.
Admission rates were used to inform membership rates which ha d not increased since the Gardens
opened in 2004. A general rule of thumb is that membership prices cover 2-2.5 visits. The rates are:
Individual $50 Individual Plus $65
Family $90 Contributing $90
Benefits include free admission, discounts on classes and in the gift shop, member-only events, free
admission to over 300 gardens around the country and passes to Garden of Lights. Memberships are a
key element of the City’s financial partnership with the Friends of the Gardens on Spring Creek non -
profit organization. Member households in the last 6 months have increased from 600 to over 2,200
households.
Simultaneous to opening with a new admission policy, The Gardens launched the “Gardens for All”
program, a multi-faceted equity and access program designed to ensure accessibility to everyone in the
community regardless of economic or physical barrier s. The program offers a variety of offerings and is
modeled on a successful initiative developed by the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Partners
include: Foothills Gateway, Healing Warriors, Partners Mentoring Youth, Respite Care, Summitstone,
Larimer Co Workforce, ChildSafe, Dementia-Friendly Community of Northern Colorado, Ramsstrength,
Foster & Adoptive Families, La Familia, Alternatives to Violence, Alliance for Suicide Prevention and
Poudre School District. Since January, and while the Gardens has been able to be open, 985 guests
have utilized the Gardens for All program to visit the facility or participate in a program. More
information about Gardens for All is attached.
Garden of Lights (GOL)
In 2019, admission to GOL was instituted for the first time. Gardens staff benchmarked GOL pricing to
other similar event on the Front Range. For example, costs for 2 adults and 4 children to attend similar
events is provided below:
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Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Lights - $102
Denver Zoo Lights - $100
Star Wars at Bistro theatre - $82.50
Fort Collins Museum of Discovery admission with gamechanger exhibit - $74
Denver Art Museum Monet exhibit - $74
Gardens on Spring Creek Garden of Lights - $54
Even with the addition of admission, GOL had a very successful season attracting over 17,000 visitors
including 388 individuals who attended GOL free of charge through the Gardens for All program,
though it has started a few weeks earlier.
Over the years, GOL has ranked as one of the top light shows in the state of Colorado and has helped
make The Gardens a regional draw. By charging admission, for the first time it was possible to track
where visitors are from. The Zip Code report showed that 35% came from outside of Fort Collins with
26 states represented.
GOL 2020:
Based upon 2019 learnings, the following admission structure has been developed for GOL 2020:
Public: Members:
$10/GA 12+ $8/adults
$5/kids 5-11 $4/kids 5-11
4 & under are free 4 & under are 2 free tickets will be honored for 2020
This fee structure includes a decrease in ticket prices and more children will be allowed for free due to
raising the age from 2 years to 4 years for children. In addition, The Gardens plans to work with our
Gardens for All community partners, to host a free night – directly reaching community members who
might not currently have the ability to attend.
COVID-19 Impacts
Since re-opening on June 2nd, The Gardens has implemented many changes to ensure compliance with
Larimer County COVID guidelines. This includes:
• Facility capacity restrictions limiting the number of people on-site at any given time to ensure
social distancing. Capacity restrictions have a direct, negative budgetary impact.
• All tickets must be bought on-line prior to arrival. Member tickets must also be reserved ahead
of time. This minimizes contact and time in The Gardens lobby, while assisting with the
mandatory ability to contact trace.
• For events specifically, a new entrance point has been developed and is separate from the exit.
Both points will be monitored by staff and volunteers.
In addition, The Gardens staff, Friends Board and volunteers have worked hard to modify events and
programs during this time with the goal of providing mission-oriented programs, generate revenue and
giving our community a safe sense of “normal”. Some highlights include:
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• The most successful Spring Plant Sale ever done online with curbside pick-up generating $118,000 in
sales.
• Virtual field trips and “Camp-in-a-Box" during spring followed by in-person summer Camp. New on-site
fall youth programs have been created and are selling out.
• Virtual adult classes which are now hybrid programs.
• Yoga and Tai Chi on the Great Lawn.
• Numerous weddings and outdoor meetings held on-site.
• Date Night at the Gardens, a Friends fundraiser, has sold out for 4 nights (in place of one large event).
• Symphony at the Gardens – a collaboration with the Symphony and Lincoln Center to bring live music to
our community.
Summary
Despite COVID impacts, the reopening of The Gardens has been successful with increased
memberships, steady visitation and revised programming. The Gardens has received many positive
comments and statements of gratitude from community members. Staff will continue to focus on
implementing Gardens for All, and look forward to a successful 2020 GOL. Please let us know if you
have further questions.
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Gardens for All is a multi-faceted equity and access program to ensure everyone in our community has access to the
benefits and experiences available at The Gardens on Spring Creek. Gardens for All is primarily grant and donor funded
with some additional support provided by the City of Fort Collins. Gardens for All is available to the community in the
following ways:
Admission Programs
• Ability Pass: For disabled visitors that require caregivers, there is a $3 admission for clients and caregivers are
free.
• SNAP Pass: Anyone that qualifies for SNAP benefits is eligible for $1 admission.
Community Partnerships
• Non-Profit Partners: The Gardens partners with local organizations serving community members experiencing
hardship; financial, crisis, transitional or health, to develop access partnerships that meet the needs of their
clients. Each partner’s needs are unique, but often passes or memberships are included. Passes cover regular
admission to the Gardens and do not cover special events (except Garden of Lights), class discounts, rentals, or
concerts.
• Library Passes: Select libraries offer check-out day passes to The Gardens. Anyone with a library card can check
out a family pass for regular daytime admission to The Gardens.
• School Districts: The Gardens partners with local school districts to offer complimentary one-year family
memberships to all families enrolled in Early Childhood Education. We also host two Early Head Start PACT
nights where families can enjoy a special evening at The Gardens.
• UC Health: A partnership with UC Health Fit Families on the Move offers reduced rate admission on
Wednesdays through the summer and a special community event for participants in their summer program.
Scholarships
• Students who qualify for any federal/state assistance program or can express need, are eligible for up to $250 in
scholarship funds for onsite programming during each calendar year.
School Program Assistance
• School program fees are offered at a reduced rate to normal youth admission. In addition, teachers and
chaperones are free, if they meet the 1:5 ratio.
• Public schools with at least 40% Free and Reduced Lunch, as reported by the Colorado or Wyoming Department
of Education, are eligible for reduced program costs.
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