{"id":215075,"date":"2025-09-10T08:50:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T08:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/215075\/"},"modified":"2025-09-10T08:50:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T08:50:10","slug":"arts-season-kicks-off-in-scottsdale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/215075\/","title":{"rendered":"Arts season kicks off in Scottsdale |"},"content":{"rendered":"

Game on, arts and events fan.<\/p>\n

Football isn\u2019t the only big deal kicking off in September.<\/p>\n

Mercifully, in the books is another brutal August.<\/p>\n

Though the summer of 2025 temperatures didn\u2019t quite match the records set over the last two years, it was hot enough \u2013 and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen foot traffic for all of Old Town this dead in the summer,\u201d groused Bob Pejman, a longtime Old Town gallery owner.<\/p>\n

He pointed to the recent closings of several Old Town mainstay restaurants, including RA Sushi, RnR Gatropub and Buca di Beppo.<\/p>\n

But, like the flick of a switch, the beginning of September is the end of the misery period for Scottsdale businesses.<\/p>\n

As Mark Stanton, president and CEO of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, put it, \u201cAll indicators point to a strong and robust season, and we\u2019re already seeing encouraging signs of business picking up as we head into September.\u201d<\/p>\n

Going hand and hand with the local business scene, artists and big shows seem to melt into the horizon whenever summer camps out like an unwanted guest in Scottsdale.<\/p>\n

Welcome, September \u2013 when performances rise out of the summer\u2019s ashes.<\/p>\n

September kicks off Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts\u2019 50th anniversary season, for one.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Sept. 20, the \u201cSippin\u2019 Series\u201d launches with \u201cartisan-crafted, award-winning rums and ready-to-drink canned cocktails from Club Kokomo Rum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also setting sail Sept. 20 is James Perkins\u2019 \u201cBurying Painting\u201d exhibit at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.<\/p>\n

Information and tickets: ScottsdaleArts.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Compared to Pejman, Mayor Lisa Borowsky had a vastly different view, saying she was \u201clooking forward to receiving the data on our summer tax revenue and visitor stays.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy tourism sources report business was steady over the summer in spite of the temperatures,\u201d Borowsky said.<\/p>\n

Even so, she said she was looking forward to the coming weeks: \u201cour event season is right around the corner, with a wide variety of offerings for all to enjoy, beginning with the Scottsdale Rodeo (Sept. 5-7) at Westworld.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coming soon is the third Dreamy Draw Music Festival, with the Lumineers and Vampire Weekend headlining a music-filled weekend at Scottsdale Civic Center Nov. 7-8.<\/p>\n

Also Nov. 7, Canal Convergence returns to light up Scottsdale\u2019s skies for 10 nights.<\/p>\n

This is the annual large-scale, light-based public artworks. Canal Convergence features live music and dance performances, with workshops, tours and activities.<\/p>\n

The event is also an example of what could be called \u201crepurposed tax dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

As its tagline notes, \u201cCanal Convergence is made possible with the support of many partners and sponsors, including the City of Scottsdale.\u201d<\/p>\n

In one of its biggest expenditures from the Tourism Development Fund, Scottsdale annually sends $750,000 to the Canal Convergence producers.<\/p>\n

According to an Aug. 19 presentation, 130,000 attended the 2024 Canal Convergence \u2013 with 21% of those from \u201cout of state.\u201d<\/p>\n

If many of those out-of-staters were staying in hotels, they were indirectly funding this year\u2019s event \u2026<\/p>\n

The \u201cbed tax\u201d portion of hotel stays received by the city generates upwards of $40 million annually.<\/p>\n

The city spends around $30 million of that for personnel and contractual services.<\/p>\n

Another $17 million is set aside for \u201cdestination marketing\u201d \u2013 via a contract with Experience Scottsdale.<\/p>\n

A council work study session on tourism has yet to be scheduled.<\/p>\n

The role played by city marketing contractor Experience Scottsdale likely will be dissected.<\/p>\n

According to Rachel Sacco, president and CEO of Experience Scottsdale, \u201cTourism is a fiercely competitive industry, and this growth in visitation speaks to the strength of Scottsdale\u2019s brand.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur visitors can choose anywhere in the world, and they choose to come to Scottsdale year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pejman has been a critic of how the city spends its bed tax funds.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecently, the bed tax has been around $35 million per year.\u00a0 About $1.4 million of that amount is slated for Old Town marketing,\u201d Pejman said.<\/p>\n

He calls for more transparency in how that money is spent.<\/p>\n

\u201cPer council rules, any expenditure item over $50,000 appears on the Council agenda \u2013 or at a minimum the Consent Agenda) for approval,\u201d Pejman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut for some odd reason the $1.4 million marketing contracts for Old Town advertising bypass the Council vote entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n

He accused the Tourism and Events Department of \u201cessentially devising marketing plans and spending bed tax funds behind closed doors, without council approval and public comment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pejman\u2019s view is seconded by French Thompson, owner of a jewelry gallery (online now after years in Old Town) and a Scottsdale Gallery Association board member.<\/p>\n

Thompson and Pejman both criticize a marketing effort they say is luring \u201cthe bar and nightclub crowd\u201d to Scottsdale.<\/p>\n

As Thompson sees it, the younger demographic coming to Old Town \u201cdoesn\u2019t do any good for all the small businesses \u2026 they really need to make a major change.\u201d<\/p>\n

He calls Old Town \u201ca luxury brand. We need to bring in people that have the money.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlder people don\u2019t go to nightclubs,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Thompson insists the 55-and-older clientele that purchase high-end items \u201care overwhelmed by bachelorette parties and the \u2018drunkmobiles\u2019 \u2026 Somehow, the city has gotten a great reputation as a great place to have a bachelorette party.\u201d<\/p>\n

In contrast to Borowsky, Thompson shared Pejman\u2019s view of Old Town struggling through a rough summer: \u201cI\u2019ve been here 28 years and I see a whole lot less people on the street than I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who own small businesses say this is the worst year they\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet Thompson and Pejman look forward to the near future, hoping a closer eye on how the city markets Old Town will help businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m optimistic a change can happen,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cIt\u2019s just having a direction \u2013 and the will to go in the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to put effort into being a luxury brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pejman, for one, will be closely watching the coming study session on bed tax spending and marketing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI am hopeful that our new council and city manager will shed light on this currently behind-closed-door process,\u201d Pejman said.<\/p>\n

Events promoted<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two weeks ago, City Council approved the Tourism Development Commission\u2019s recommendation of writing a $225,000 check \u2013 from bed tax funds \u2013 to the host committee of the NCAA 2026 Women\u2019s Final Four Tournament.<\/p>\n

At its Aug. 19 meeting, the Tourism Development Commission unanimously approved \u201cbed tax expenditure up to $150,000 to Lore Southwest Media and Arts to support the Scottsdale Dia De Los Muertos and Art Installation Experience and Event.\u201d<\/p>\n

In June, the commission approved bed tax funding of $75,000 for the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship.<\/p>\n

The tourism commission also approved $75,000 for the\u00a0Barrett Jackson Auction Company’s annual WestWorld event.<\/p>\n

Other funding approvals this year:<\/p>\n