The Key West Amphitheater will become an ice skating rink for three weeks during this year’s holiday season, venue managers announced, perhaps unintentionally, at the April 18 city commission meeting.
“I guess the cat’s out of the bag now,” said Bill Muehlhauser, whose company, Rams Head Promotions, has managed the Key West Amphitheater for the city since shortly after it opened in 2019. The same company will continue to manage “the amp,” at least for the next three years.
Key West officials approved the three-year extension to Rams Head’s management contract despite some concerns — and opposing votes — from two elected officials and a few community members.
While making his case for the contract extension, Muehlhauser mentioned the holiday festival and ice skating rink as an example of upcoming community events.
Commissioner Sam Kaufman and Mayor Teri Johnston initially urged a postponement to give the city time to compare its contract with Rams Head to those of other venues.
Kaufman emphasized that he had no problems with Rams Head’s performance.
“But we are stewards of the taxpayers’ money and of this public facility,” Kaufman said. “I want to know if this contract is fair to the taxpayers, and how can we know that without any comparisons to other venues with similar contracts? If we haven’t spoken to other venues, or to any other promoters who produce shows at our amphitheater, then shame on us.”
Under the contract, for multi-day events, such as music festivals, the city gets 50% of all venue rental fees paid by third-party event producers. For single-day events, the city gets $5 from every $100 ticket sold; $3 for every $60 ticket; $2 on every $40 to $60 ticket and $1 on all tickets under $40.
The city gets no revenue from the sale of food, beverage or merchandise, the contract states.
At one point, Johnston asked for input from Kyle Carter, whose local company produced and promoted the popular three-day music festivals at the amphitheater in January and February — Rok Island Fest, Mile 0 Fest and Key Western Fest.
Carter said he had worked well with Rams Head when he rented the venue for the festivals, but told the city, “I know logistics; I know flow; I know concerts, but no one’s calling me. There’s no way you can make an informed decision here tonight talking only to the venue manager. What I’m proposing is to put this contract back out for bid. When it happens, we’ll put in a smokin’ bid.”
Commissioner Jimmy Weekley reminded his colleagues that COVID canceled all events at the amphitheater — and income — seven months after Rams Head’s contract started in August 2019. “And yet they stuck it out, and look at the shows we’re getting here. Rams Head has built a great reputation. Because of contractual obligations, Bill needs some assurance from us. Let’s go ahead and extend the contract.”
And they did.
In other commission news…
- City Manager Al Childress announced a new schedule for city commission meetings that will begin in June as a six-month pilot program. Summer months will include one meeting rather than two, and they’ll take place the second Thursday of the month. Those meetings will be divided into morning and evening sessions. Both will allow time for public comments, but many of the more mundane “housekeeping” items, such as the consent agenda, will be handled in the morning, along with some awards and proclamations that often take significant time during evening meetings.
- Key West is launching a partnership with the College of the Florida Keys for a water quality monitoring program that will sample and test ocean water from the main ship channel, Key West Harbor and eventually Smathers Beach, Higgs Beach and Fort Zachary Tayor, as well as reef locations at Eastern and Western Dry Rocks for comparison to the nearshore locations.
