Ravinia Festival, a not-for-profit that raises about half its annual budget through ticket sales and the rest through private donations, has contributed $1,054,573 to its hometown of Highland Park. This is the city’s share of a record-breaking 2013 season. Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman, a Highland Park resident, presented the check at the Nov. 12 Highland Park City Council meeting. This is the fifth year of a 10-year agreement through which the festival donates 5 percent of its annual gross ticket revenue to the city. The amount of the contribution to the city has increased in each successive year of the program’s life for a total of more than $4 million at the halfway mark of the 10-year plan.
“We are grateful to have this world-class venue in our own backyard. Ravinia Festival is a perfect blend of culture and economic development,” said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, noting that Ravinia attracts about $7 in local spending for every dollar spent at the venue. “In addition, Ravinia is a good neighbor and works collaboratively with the City of Highland Park to share costs for its city services, such as hiring our police officers to not only patrol and protect the ground, but also to manage traffic in the community on
concert nights.”
You can find a copy of the full press release here.