Promoters lend support to amended Council bill

When promoters caught wind of a City Council measure a few weeks ago that would have required them to get approval for all events 30 days ahead of time, they launched an online protest petition that got more than 10,000 signatures.

Yesterday, at Council's Committee of Licenses and Inspections' hearing, only one promoter came forward to testify. And he was for it.

Patrick Rodgers, a promoter and founder of Dancing Ferret Entertainment Group, testified in favor of the bill, which he says is now acceptable to most promoters after compromises were reached with the bill's sponsor.

"I would say that maybe 90 percent of people are about 90 percent happy with the bill," said Rodgers, who worked with Councilman Bill Greenlee and promoters to revise the bill.

The amended legislation was unanimously approved yesterday and could be finalized by next week's final Council session before summer recess.

"A few people feel like any regulation measure is too much, but most [promoters] recognize the public-safety concerns," Rodgers added.

"There was no opposition today," Greenlee, the bill's sponsor, said. "It at least looks like we worked out the major concerns of the promoting community."

The bill was drafted after people like Arthur Green, the leader of North Philadelphia's 14th Ward, contacted Greenlee about violence and misconduct occurring at events in their neighborhoods.

Green, 57, said that he gets complaints about noise, public urination, property destruction and other issues, including an incident involving a nude couple having sex in public after an event at the Palmer Social Club at 6th and Spring Garden streets.

"This bill gives a chance for the community to be proactive, especially when you're talking about residential areas," Green said.

Under the revised bill, promoters would be required to apply for a special assembly license, and those in charge of maintaining security and the legal-occupancy limit at an event must notify the Police Department two weeks ahead of time. In the original version of the bill, promoters would have had to register every event.

"Overall, the process worked as it should, through communication and dialogue," said Brandy Hartley, 37, venue manager at Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown, who also collaborated with Greenlee.