Redondo Cuts Ties to Events Sponsored by Alcohol Firms

At the behest of Mayor Brad Parton, who has criticized the city for appearing to condone the use of alcohol, the Redondo Beach City Council last week unanimously passed two measures distancing the city from major civic events sponsored by beer and liquor companies.

In one vote Thursday, the council reiterated an earlier decision to prohibit the city’s fledgling Visitors Bureau from promoting Redondo Beach to tourists through advertisements for alcohol-sponsored events.

The action would, for example, prevent the bureau from advertising the city as “the home of the Miller Lite Superbowl Sunday 10K” race. It is an internationally known competition that, for nearly a decade, has drawn tens of thousands of runners and spectators to the beach city.

Additionally, the council took back a longstanding financial break for such events, voting for the first time in recent years not to waive fees for the use of police and other city services for two festivals where beer is advertised and served.

The annual Springfest and the city’s Frontier Days, two fund-raisers for neighborhood divisions of the Chamber of Commerce, will have to pay about $5,000 each in extra fees next year unless they find non-alcoholic sponsors and stop serving beer, the council decided.

The decision came despite protests from the local Chamber of Commerce director, who warned that the events would fail without the waiver and the promise of cold beer for thirsty revelers.

“These are good community events,” chamber Executive Director Ernie O’Dell said. “I understand where you’re coming from regarding alcohol, but some of these events are as popular as they are only because of the alcohol.”

A council majority agreed with O’Dell and first voted Thursday to waive all the fees. But Parton vetoed the decision moments later, setting up the second vote.

Parton suggested that if the groups involved were unable to find a dry sponsor, they should ask the city to make up the financial difference.

“I think what the mayor is saying is, let’s start promoting events not having to do with alcohol,” said Councilwoman Barbara Doerr, who eventually voted for the measures, despite initial opposition to the Visitors Bureau restrictions.

Last week, after Parton threatened to veto funding for the planned bureau unless its promotions were restricted to non-alcohol-related events, Doerr criticized Parton, a “born-again” Christian, saying that it was inappropriate for him “to impose his personal beliefs on people.”

By Thursday, however, Doerr was more supportive.

“Maybe it would be better to see a yogurt company something, instead of a Budweiser something,” she said, smiling, “--although I like Budweiser.”

Parton said his position on the motions had less to do with his religion than with a political philosophy that the city should not spend money on events promoting alcohol at the same time that it is paying for social programs to discourage alcohol abuse.

“If it’s not city money, they can promote marijuana if they want to,” the 30-year-old mayor joked.