NEW RULES FOR CAPITOL MALL EVENTS
A CHANGE IS COMING
In December, The City of Sacramento began upgrading the medians of Capitol Mall. Over the years the area has seen little care or maintenance; however, a resurgence in activity along Sacramento’s gateway to the capitol over the last 10 years the city eyeballing the aesthetics of the district. Made in the Shade has had the pleasure of being a part of the many events that have taken place within the make-shift event site.
DON’T MESS IT UP
As with most refurbishments, the goal is to keep the area looking green and pristine. With this in mind, the city, together with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, wants to keep the medians along Capitol Mall looking their best. Both valid and ostentatious, the efforts by the city and DSP to ensure that the new sod is not damaged is generating questions and ire from many Capitol Mall event producers. These organizations have every right to questions the challenges that they are now facing.
The upgrades made to Capitol Mall definitely a plus. Unfortunately, the Capitol Mall Events held in the district annually are going to have to make adjustments in their event logistics. Capitol Mall Events like Visit Sacramento’s Farm to Fork Festival, SacPride, Capitol Beer Fest, Sacramento Rotary’s Century Challenge, California International Marathon, and Sactown Run attract tens of thousands of people from all over the country and the world to the district. Because of these events, people are familiar with Capitol Mall and have walked down the center with the Tower Bridge to the west and the capitol dome to the east.
KCRA CHANNEL 3 REPORTS
KCRA reported on the re-sodding of the mall medians in December 2024.
IMPACTING LEGACY EVENTS
As of 2024, the City of Sacramento has implemented new requirements that will impact Capitol Mall Events. Primarily the access to the medians for table/chair deliveries, tenting installations, and staging and A/V set ups. Currently, the city is enforcing no vehicles on the medians. In the past, the medians became staging and unloading zones for equipment. Office workers can be seen high up in their offices watching crews work in cadence from one block to the next. Utilizing the medians to stage equipment while building out an event meant that event organizers could bypass lane closures along Capitol Ave. Activating a full street closure only occurred when absolutely necessary.
AFFECTS ON THE INSTALLATION
Made in the Shade is adopting a new procedure to address the new requirements laid out by the city. First, we plan to deliver equipment as early as 5 am to take advantage of light morning traffic. Made in the Shade crews will close a predetermined lane (preferred lane decision to be made at city’s event plan review meeting) from where trucks will be parked parallel to the medians. No machinery or heavy equipment will be used on the bare grass. In some cases, Matrax Event Floor can be included on the rental order to act as a barrier between heavy foot traffic, staging, seating, or for general protection. Due to increased rental costs, event flooring is not an automatic addition, however it is one that is available.
For event organizer, your best option is to close all streets to complete your install. However, we understand that is not always realistic. By Made in the Shade facilitating a soft street closure by Made in the Shade we can get a head start on installing. Then, once the streets have been closed, we are strongly suggesting to maintain the street closure in its entirety while the event is broken down and everything has been loaded out.
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
Below is an example of the type of soft street closure Made in the Shade will facilitate in during the installation of tenting.
Made in the Shade Tent Rentals will facilitate a soft closure of one side of Capitol Mall during installation and removal. The lane closure will involve the westbound lanes (North Capitol Mall) and the eastbound lanes(South Capitol Mall). This lane closure would allow for efficient equipment unloading and staging. This option does pose some challenges and risks:
1. Increased Installation and Removal Time:
Since vehicles cannot access the medians, crew members will need to carry equipment longer distances.
2. Safety Concerns:
Closing lane #1 down with the #2 lane open to traffic will be a safety concern for our crews. Working in close proximity to moving vehicles is risky. In this instance, we plan to operate cautiously and as safely as possible.
3. Impact on Rental Costs:
The additional time and labor required for long carries, combined with traffic control measures, will affect rental costs. Pricing will now depend on several factors:
Staffing – Slower working conditions are a by product of working safely. Extended working hours does produce undue to stress on the crew. This could result in crews having to “time out,” if they reach the 10-hour mark.
Your event date(s) – Dates occurring in and around peak event season (April – June/August – October) along an increase in the time required to complete the SOW will put pressure on our crews and their ability to work.
Calculating the volume of equipment needed for your event – events that require very large quantities of tents will feel the most impact as pricing will be structured with the complete buildout in mind.
The timing reserved for installation and removal, particularly during peak traffic hours – Shortened installation periods can impact our ability to complete a job on time. It is important to reserve the event space well in advance event start time and following the event end time.
FULL LANE CLOSURE OPTION (FACILITATED BY CITY OF SACRAMENTO)
For events requiring larger setups we advise a complete road closure of one side of Capitol Mall for the install and removal of equipment. A full closure equates to unrestricted access to the site, eliminating the need for long carries and reducing safety risks. However, a full closure will require additional coordination with the City of Sacramento and may incur higher permitting fees.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU, OUR CUSTOMER?
It is our priority to deliver exceptional service without compromising the safety of our crew. We are confident we can achieve our goals while maintaining compliance with city regulations. These changes do require logistical planning. Fortunately, our team has many years of experience executing installs and removals throughout Capitol Mall.
If you have an upcoming event on Capitol Mall, reach out to our sales team to discuss your specific needs. Early planning will lead to a successful event!
For more information, or to request a quote, contact us today!
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
Our staff is ready to answer questions or provide additional assistance. Contact us today by PHONE or EMAIL.
To obtain a tent rental estimate for an upcoming event, complete the REQUEST A QUOTE form.
