u Partnerships and Parks Director Dianne Hoover appealed to members of the Chamber of Commerce to name the amphitheatre. After providing tours to various interested businesses, the local cable company – Bright House Networks – provided a proposal totaling $500,000 for five years. The offer was a combination of cash and advertising - $75,000 in cash to bring in entertainment and $25,000 in advertising annually. Colleen Dillaway, Director of Marketing from Bright House Networks says: “Bright House Networks is proud of the partnership we’ve forged with the City of Bakersfield both during and after the naming rights for the Bright House Networks Amphitheatre were secured. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship whereby we have increased visibility in the community and the residents of Bakersfield can enjoy a world class facility featuring an incredible variety of entertainment.” In addition to naming rights at the amphitheatre, Bright House Networks installed Wi-Fi throughout the park at
no cost to the City. Since that time, they have installed Wi-Fi at three additional parks as they are being built, with no cost to the City. Students and parents alike enjoy being connected... while gaining the benefits of being outdoors among family and friends. In 2011, Bright House Networks renewed their naming rights contract for another five years; this time for $60,000 cash and $40,000 advertising. In 2006, the City of Bakersfield began working with a local youth baseball nonprofit group known as Bakersfield Southwest Baseball (BSWB) to relocate their home fields to a 40-acre water recharge area in a popular part of the city. BSWB, serving almost 1,800 youth annually, was about to lose their lease with Cal State Bakersfield and needed a new home. The negotiated agreement included assistance from BSWB in building the facility as well as a fifteen year commitment to maintain the facility once it opened. BSWB tapped into their parental resources and were able to construct the restroom/concession
CALIFORNIA PARKS & RECREATION • SPRING 2012
building and install 100% of the fencing at no cost to the City, using City design standards. The City, in turn, installed the park road, parking lot, irrigation and signage. With the fifteen-year agreement in hand, BSWB contacted various companies to become the major naming rights sponsor. A three-way agreement was negotiated between BSWB, the City of Bakersfield and Aera Energy for $250,000 to go toward construction costs. Aera Energy is an oil conglomer-
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