The Santa Barbara Bowl saw a decrease in overall revenue in 2022 from 2021, but revenue from concerts and events increased during the same period.
In 2021, the venue made a total revenue of $10,919,327, which decreased to $7,229,471 in 2022.
The drop in revenue can be attributed to investment losses and the end of COVID-19 relief grants and credits, which were prevalent in 2021, according to the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation’s annual report.
There was, however, an increase in operational revenue in 2022.
When the venue reopened in 2021, the county Board of Supervisors allowed the venue to add an additional seven concerts over the 37-concert limit. The average concert attendance in 2022 per performance was 3,778, compared to 3,652 in 2021.
Because of the additional concerts, operational expenditures rose from $5,806,041 in 2021 to $8,423,058 in 2022, according to the annual report.
In their annual report the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation announced that with the completion of upgrades on the West Road in 2023, renovations detailed in the master plan have been realized.
The master plan was approved by the county in 1994 and with this final upgrade, they are winding down and retiring the plan.
Rick Boller, executive director of the Santa Barbara Bowl, said that repairing and maintaining the roads is an ongoing project due to the amount of busses and trucks that travel on them each year.
“We were originally built in 1936,” Boller said. “So you can imagine that back in 1936, they weren’t imagining the level of use that we endure each and every year.”
The annual report did note that there will be upgrades and projects in the upcoming winter months, but these projects will be focused on “modernizing buildings for improved operations” instead of saving or restoring areas.
The foundation also announced that it completed the final phase of the solar photovoltaic installation project in 2022. This project will allow the bowl to offset energy usage and reduce its carbon footprint, according to the annual report.
The report outlined a number of other greening initiatives, including a bike valet in the main parking lot for every concert, using aluminum cups instead of plastic, and having 85% of food and drinks sold at the venue sourced from local companies and products.
Santa Barbara Popcorn Company, Firestone, Berryman, and Brander Vineyards were just some of the locally owned companies the venue worked with in 2022.
The foundation is required to submit an annual report each year to the county as part of the current 45-year management and lease agreement between the county and the foundation.
The agreement was approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 17, 2011. The county first went into a lease agreement in 1994.
The foundation is solely responsible for maintenance, repairs, operations and improvements at the venue.
