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Consider approving an extendable Operating and Professional Services Agreement, providing entertainment and fireworks for the 2025 Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival by LimeLight Productions and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the contract.
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INITIATOR: Jason Poudrier, Arts and Humanities Administrator
STAFF INFORMATION SOURCE: Jason Poudrier, Arts and Humanities Administrator
BACKGROUND: The City of Lawton has contracted with Limelight Productions since 2015 to coordinate the City of Lawton’s Firework Display. They have provided excellent, quality service, without incident. In 2021, their multi-year contract ended with the City and it was determined that a new contract would have to be initiated each year.
In 2024, the City of Lawton contracted with Limelight for Fireworks and stage entertainment, and the city contracted, separately, a drone show with Sky Elements. For 2025, we will be able to reduce cost by contracting with Limelight to coordinate the drone show along with the fireworks and stage entertainment.
The attached contract is also extendable for up-to five extensions at the same price and conditions as in the original contract, by mutual agreement between the City of and Limelight Productions. This will assist us in potentially locking in a rate, and reduce time and energy generating a new contract each year.
DRONE DISPLAY: ($31,000) - 200 Drones to Perform 12-15 Animations
STAGE, SOUND, LIGHTS: ($24,000) - Lights for choreographed Drone and PyroMusical Fireworks Display, and technicians and crew for 2 consecutive nights
FIREWORKS DISPLAY: ($75,000) - PyroMusical Fireworks Displays with Choreography for 2 consecutive nights. Seventy-Five Thousand dollars ($75,000) for Saturday night 23-24 min PyroMusical and FREE SHOW for Friday night Finale added to City of Lawton’s Drone show.
ENTERTAINMENT: ($15,000) - Headline Performer/Entertainment
TOTAL: ($145,000) - Total of Contract
Limelight entertainment will work with the Arts and Humanities Division to coordinate the fireworks display, all-stage and sound needs, and a headline performer. This program is for the Citizens, and utilizing a trusted and insured contractor to coordinate, schedule, and collaborate with the City of Lawton is the most cost-effective efficient method to ensure that we have a consistent high-end independence day celebration.
City of Lawton Purchasing Policy 04-02 outlines exemptions for “other professional services from competitive bid procedures. Using this guidance, professionals in the arts will also be exempted.” Limelight provides professional arts related services, and therefore, this contract and the arts related services rendered are exempt from the competitive bidding process.
This event is entirely for the enjoyment of the citizens of the Lawton Fort Sill Community, enhancement of quality of life, and promotion of tourism to Lawton, OK. Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival was established with the safety of citizens in mind in that fireworks were banned for private use within City Limits. This contract combining the drone show and fireworks display through a single vendor reduces the cost of the overall show and is therefore more efficient. Furthermore, as with the notoriety of last year’s drone show, the 2025 Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival is a world class event. The Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival embodies the True North Culture Statement.
EXHIBIT: 2025 Limelight Professional Services Agreement
KEY ISSUES: Contract is needed to be approved to lock in pricing for drone show. There will be a firework show this year.
FUNDING SOURCE: Hotel/Motel $100,000(230-2301004-52025); McMahon Auditorium Authority $10,000; Fundraising/LETA funds $35,000(501-5018502-52025
STAFF RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION: Approve Operating and Professional Services Agreement with Limelight Productions to provide entertainment and fireworks for the 2025 Freedom festival and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the contract.