This is the second installment in a monthly column on the city’s economic opportunity and growth initiatives.
So we’ve created a task force of city staff ― now what? More meetings?
Governments love splashy and official-sounding committees, and we know some can be guilty of being more talk than action. But that’s not the case here in Santa Monica with our new Economic Development Task Force.
In just a few short months, we’ve hit the ground running and already have a lot to show for it.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has prioritized economic growth and recovery, but it’s become clear that traditional revenue streams such as sales tax and tourism revenues have not rebounded as quickly as we hoped. We need to think differently to ensure we can continue to provide essential services to our community.
That’s why in March, the city launched an interdepartmental Economic Development Task Force that has been – well, tasked – with revitalizing the Third Street Promenade and other business corridors, attracting more events to Santa Monica. With creating a culture of “yes” when it comes to attracting, retaining and helping to expand local businesses, and thinking innovatively to identify new revenue streams and economic growth opportunities.
We got right to work and identified five areas of focus to ensure we meet these goals, created a subcommittee for each, and within each subcommittee we are developing short-, medium- and long-term goals.
The five areas of focus are:
Special events
Capital improvements
Partnerships and funding opportunities
Internal operations
Communications, marketing and branding
Here’s an overview of what each subcommittee is tackling in the near term. Future columns will take a deeper dive into the work of each subcommittee.
Special events:
Santa Monica is no stranger to hosting big things. We are already home to several iconic events, from the annual Frieze Los Angeles arts festival to the recent Cirque du Soleil pop-up to the new LA Tech Week street fair.
In a time when we know folks are looking for experiences and entertainment more than ever, we are looking to leverage the city’s amazing parks, unique venues (from Santa Monica Pier to the Annenberg Beach House, Barker Hanger to Miles Memorial Playhouse) and, of course, our beautiful beaches to draw even more unique offerings for all interests. Even our parking lots are fair game for events, not to mention Third Street Promenade.
This effort includes:
Streamlining permitting to make it easier to hold an event in Santa Monica
Creating sponsorship opportunities to bring (and fund) exciting events and activities to the city
Establishing an annual calendar of signature events and making it easier for the community and visitors to find out about all the incredible events already taking place
Attracting and supporting new large-scale events throughout the city
Analyzing previous events to identify positive outcomes and lessons learned
These new measures will allow us to attract everything from the MTV Movie & TV Awards and brand activations from Amazon and Hasbro to music festivals and activities around the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Superbowl in Los Angeles and the 2028 L.A. Summer Olympics.
Partnerships and funding opportunities:
As noted above, the next few years are going to see a parade of national and international sporting events in the Los Angeles region ― the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Superbowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in 2027, and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, referred to as LA28. Santa Monica is well-positioned to support these events as a premier destination for visitors, and we are making a concerted and strategic effort to capitalize on these opportunities to showcase our gorgeous city on the world’s stage.
The partnerships group is:
Hosting representatives from foreign countries and big brands and actively marketing city venues for activations during the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics
Securing Olympics-related activations, with community benefits, in city parking lots and other properties
Identifying events to help support the city’s economy and key industries
Seeking sponsorship and other revenue-generating opportunities to support city services and infrastructure
Just last month, the City Council approved an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement to bring a broadcast center and several international hospitality houses to Santa Monica for the 2028 Olympics ― with an added community benefit component to enhance our city and provide an unforgettable experience for residents.
Internal operations:
As a city government, we know there’s always room for improvement in our processes. Taking a look at these behind-the-scenes details might not be the most glamourous work, but it’s extremely important.
In the past few years, Santa Monica has updated zoning codes and ordinances to be more business friendly. We’re now building on that work by examining points of friction across all internal operations, and working to simplify, streamline, and expedite. And not to worry, we will also be seeking feedback on what’s worked and what hasn’t, along with ideas for improvement. Customer service is a top priority.
Near term goals include:
Centralizing information for businesses on the city website to make key information easier to find
Looking for more opportunities to streamline city processes and reduce red tape
Centralizing online forms in one, easier-to-find place
Launching a business concierge service to provide personalized support to help businesses thrive in Santa Monica
Capital improvements:
Sometimes a little facelift makes a big difference.
A team of staff recently walked every corner of downtown and noted more than 500 areas for enhancement, from chipped paint to overgrown landscaping and broken fences.
Next steps include:
Mapping the “survey inventory” and prioritizing improvements based on budget and feasibility
Launching the Art is Everywhere project to activate vacant buildings and shopfronts
Partnering with CALTRANS to spruce up the city’s gateways ― cleaning up rubbish, trimming landscaping and creating signage
This self-proclaimed “Boulevards to Beaches” subcommittee is hard at work and we look forward to seeing progress.
Communications, marketing and branding:
This crew is tasked with building on the city’s existing communications and public information channels to reimagine Santa Monica’s brand and work with partners across the city ― Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, the business improvement districts and more ― to share with the world why Santa Monica is the premier place to live, work and play.
The group is also committed to amplifying the efforts of the Task Force so the community, prospective businesses, and visitors are aware of the positive changes in our city.
This is just a snapshot of the city’s many economic development efforts, intended to illustrate how we’re approaching the project of our economic growth from all sides.
The state of the city’s budget and declining revenues have shown that there is a real need for new strategies and strategic partnerships. We are heeding that call with fast action and, building on our expertise and experience, making space for creative and innovative opportunities.
There will be much more to share soon.
Submitted by the Economic Development Task Force Leadership