LAGUNA BEACH
The prospective new hosts of the Festival of the Arts don’t want to become a bargaining chip in the dispute between the festival and the city.
The festival’s board of directors has expressed its intent to enter exclusive negotiations with San Clemente, but the door to Laguna Beach is not entirely closed.
Laguna Beach City Atty. Phil Kohn said the city will resume negotiations with the festival in two to three weeks.
However, San Clemente Mayor Susan Ritschel said it was her understanding that negotiations with Laguna Beach were over.
“It certainly was our understanding that the festival was coming to us now to begin negotiations as their first priority,” Ritschel said. “We certainly don’t want to get the hopes of the community up simply to be used as leverage.”
The festival, which has been in Laguna Beach for 68 years, has alleged that its rent agreement with the city--13.75% of its gross income--is discriminatory.
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