Waterloo regional council approves $100K request for Rolling Stones exhibit, against staff recommendation

The region is pouring $100,000 into TheMuseum's Rolling Stones exhibit Unzipped to help boost advertising before it opens later this month.

At a special council meeting on Tuesday, regional councillors unanimously voted to support a motion to approve the marketing grant requested by the organization, despite a staff recommendation to not spend the money. 

"I am absolutely thrilled," said David Marskell, CEO of TheMuseum.

"This isn't about TheMuseum. This isn't about arts and culture. This is about economic development. And many organizations, artists, hotels ⁠— on and on ⁠— are going to benefit," he added.

Marskell said the grant will be used to help attract more visitors to the region, where they may stay overnight. TheMuseum said an extra 5,000 visitors will bring in roughly $500,000 in economic impact to the region.

About 4,000 tickets have already been sold ahead of the Nov. 30 exhibit launch. The organization has capacity to sell up to 100,000 tickets. 

TheMuseum has so far spent about $150,000 on marketing the exhibit. That clarification was made by Marskell on Tuesday, which contradicts the staff report that indicated the organization had spent more than $850,000 on marketing.

Staff recommendation, review process

A staff report to council had recommended that councillors not approve the funding request, citing a three-year review of TheMuseum's finances that was undertaken following "some concerns with their operations."

Staff had recommended the region not release financial supports to the organization until that review process is complete in June 2022.

But that the review process outlined conditions the organization has already met, Marskell said. 

The staff report indicated that the region has supported the exhibit in others ways including waiving fees for advertising space in regional buildings and offering discounted LRT passes.

The motion to approve the request was raised by Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.

"As we all know, the tourism and hospitality sector has been hard hit. This is a show that's indicative of the world-class status we're striving for in the region and something that is encompassing more and more of the region," he said at the meeting.

"It would be great to fill up our hotels, which have struggled over the last couple of years. And this is certainly a great way to do it from an economic development perspective," he added.

The grant money will come out of the region's 2021 economic development budget as an unbudgeted operating expense. Regional staff said at the meeting that the region's budget is projected to be in a surplus at the end of the year. 

The region currently supports the organization by funding $385,600 for its annual operating grant.

Working with local artists

On Monday, a member of the local arts community told CBC News the request for marketing funding should be reallocated to better support other arts organizations in Waterloo region. 

"It's such a massive amount of money that is going to one organization for an exhibition that is not of this place. It's not local artists. It's not locally produced," Jennifer Laurie told CBC News on Monday. 

When asked about this criticism, Marskell said this exhibit will also benefit the local arts community.

"The reality of the Rolling Stones and a global brand is this is a once in decades opportunity. And I think the council saw that from an economic development point of view. That will help these artists, that will help these art galleries and musicians and so on. They will benefit from this," he said.

He said the organization is working with several local artists and groups that are helping with the exhibit.

He said more are welcome to come forward to find ways to collaborate.