After three fatal shootings in the central city this year, Sacramento officials on Monday announced a so-called “nighttime economy manager” will coordinate safety and permits for entertainment businesses.
Tina Lee-Vogt, who has worked for the city for more than 30 years in departments including police and finance, was appointed to the position. Lee-Vogt has managed the city’s entertainment permit program since 2009 and also works with public safety on training for local bars and clubs.
She said one of her priorities is conducting a study on the economic impact of Sacramento’s nightlife. She plans to review the city’s entertainment ordinance to see it matches current trends, as well as safety and livability concerns. Outreach to neighborhoods and businesses is also on her agenda.
“I also look forward to identifying the many opportunities that are out there to ensure that Sacramento continues to provide a safe, festive and successful nightlife for not only our visitors, but our residents,” Lee-Vogt said at a press conference.
Sacramento has seen a number of high-profile shootings in the central city this year. In April, a mass shooting on K Street between rival groups left six people dead and 12 injured. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. as bars near the state Capitol closed.
Three months later, as Mix Nightclub was closing, someone opened fire in the streets, killing one person and injuring four others. Then, in late September, a man was killed in a shooting outside of BarWest in Midtown on J and 28th streets.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the city didn’t create the position as a sudden reaction to the shootings.
“This is a continuation of a commitment that will never ever wane in this city, because we know that the central city is the heart of not just the city, but the region,” Steinberg said at a press conference. “It's the center of our drive to build that more cosmopolitan economy around food, around the creative economy, around sports, around entertainment, around just hanging out and having a good time.”
Leaders of the Midtown Association and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership said they look forward to working with Lee-Vogt. Emily Baime Michaels of the Midtown Association said the new position will continue ongoing conversations about safety and economic development.
“Our organizations have long advocated for the creation of a role dedicated to bringing cohesion and collaboration between Sacramento’s nighttime businesses, patrons and our community,” Baime Michaels said in a release. “This is a great step on building a thriving 18-to-24-hour city that we strive to become.”
In one of her first assignments on the job, Steinberg said he intends for Lee-Vogt to give a report in a public City Council meeting on business security procedures as soon as next month.
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