The Atherton Parks & Recreation Committee on Tuesday recommended that the town favor an event manager that will aggressively market Jennings Pavilion and asked for committee participation in finalist reviews.

The committee’s motion — proposed during discussion of two finalists for an event/catering manager and passed by voice vote — said members would “favor somebody who will have a ... aggressive marketing brand” and requested the opportunity to meet the finalists or offer views after reviewing the RFP responses. The motion also asked for one or two committee volunteers to attend a planned tasting and review materials the council subcommittee will collect.

Staff said two firms advanced from the RFP process: a smaller, lower‑profile operator described in the transcript as running a garden center in San Mateo, and Latin Asian Hospitality Group, which the transcript characterizes as pursuing larger, revenue‑driven events including weddings. Staff said the finalists proposed different revenue‑sharing and service models, and that RFP responses are posted online for public review. The committee noted that the two firms’ proposals differed both in philosophy (low‑key vs. revenue‑driven) and in how much on‑site staffing and share the firms would seek.

Committee members emphasized the tradeoffs: a more aggressive marketer could increase bookings and net revenue for park programs but also raise concerns about parking, noise and impacts on regular park uses. Unidentified Speaker 8 framed the choice as a question of return to the park: “...we need the most aggressive marketing you can ever imagine to bring this part back to usage.” Several members said they would favor an aggressive approach given current low baseline usage; others stressed quality controls and contract language for cleanup, insurance and operational limits.

Staff described the selection process: the council formed a subcommittee that includes the mayor and a council member (referred to in the transcript as “Bill”) to do food tastings and review contract terms before the council makes a final award. Staff also said the selected manager would be expected to staff the pavilion on-site two days a week and to be present for large events; cleanup and setup responsibilities would be set out in the contract.

The committee passed the motion by voice vote; the transcript records “All in favor” but does not provide a numeric roll call in the record. The committee asked staff to share the RFP links with committee members and to identify volunteers who will participate in the taste testing and review.