DDA Approves Arts, Beats & Eats Changes, Zoo Parking

Overflow parking will be available for Detroit Zoo patrons beginning this weekend just in time for Bunnyville! following the Downtown Development Authority's unanimous approval late Wednesday afternoon at .

The zoo will pay to use DDA-owned property at Woodward Avenue and 10 Mile Road (Interstate 696 service drive) through Oct. 31, with the exception of Labor Day weekend, when the property will be used for the Arts, Beats & Eats festival.

The zoo will use the property for special events such as  on Saturday, which will draw an anticipated 15,000 people at a cost of $500 per event. The estimated total revenue during the agreement period is $2,000.

DDA members also approved:

• The 2011 revised contract proposal with as already approved by the Royal Oak City Commission and festival producer John Witz. Highlights of the revised contract include expanding the festival footprint, increasing  the number of openings and eliminating the festival’s requirement to pay the city a portion of gate proceeds. The Labor Day weekend festival agreement is a tri-party contract between the city of Royal Oak, the Downtown Development Authority and Arts, Beats and Eats Inc. During Wednesday's meeting, Witz announced the addition of a country music stage on Center Street, south of Third, which will be accompanied by five barbecue restaurants, including and , both from Royal Oak.
• The termination of the contract with Winterland Inc., the company responsible for the 2010 downtown holiday light display. DDA members have with the display during previous meetings. On the advice of the city attorney, DDA members will allow Winterland to remove the lights before April 30 as stated in the original contract. Following the removal, the lights will be inventoried and stored at the yard. DDA members will ask Winterland to replace any defective strands.
• Rich & Associates parking consultants of Southfield presented a Dynamic Parking Model outlining areas within the downtown ranging from parking deficient to parking surplus. Areas of deficiency include the William Street lot and surplus areas include the lot. The model possesses the capability to be updated in real-time as businesses move in and out of the area to account for parking needs. The Dynamic Parking Model can also assist DDA members in assessing parking needs in between parking studies, usually commissioned about every five years.