REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 18, 2025
FROM
TERRY W. THOMPSON, Director, Real Estate Services Department
BEAHTA R. DAVIS, Director, Regional Parks Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Revenue Lease Agreement with Live Nation Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation for Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Find that the approval of Amendment No. 14 to Revenue Lease Agreement No. 92-1023 with Live Nation Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, Section 15301 - Existing Facilities (Class 1).
2. Approve Amendment No. 14 to Revenue Lease Agreement No. 92-1023 with Live Nation Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, to:
a. Extend the term of the lease for approximately 13 months, from November 17, 2025, to December 31, 2026, for approximately 39.68 acres of County-owned property, located at 2475 Glen Helen Parkway in San Bernardino, comprising of a portion of Assessor’s Parcel Number 0348-161-01-0000, and additional parking identified as portions of Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 0348-161-01-0000, 0349-191-18-0000, and 0349-191-22-0000, for the Regional Parks Department.
b. Delete the existing five-year option to extend.
c. Increase the total anticipated lease amount by $1,725,644, from $34,265,000, for a new anticipated total amount of $35,990,644 (Four votes required).
3. Direct the Real Estate Services Department to file the Notice of Exemption in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
(Presenter: Terry W. Thompson, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of Amendment No. 14 (Amendment) to Revenue Lease Agreement No. 92-1023 (Lease) does not require the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Pursuant to the Amendment, Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. (Live Nation) will pay an annual rent fee of a fixed minimum rent of $1,725,644 or a percentage of net ticket sales, equal to 7.75%, whichever is greater. Live Nation also agrees to pay 25% of the total "other revenue", which is defined as total gross revenue minus net ticket sales, when it exceeds the projected revenue for the designated Lease year as set forth in the Lease for the extended term through December 31, 2026. Additionally, Live Nation will continue to pay the Regional Parks Department (Parks) $1,500 per Electronic Dance Music (EDM) event for a maximum of four shows per year. Lease payments will be directly deposited into the Parks’ budget (6522312750).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended action will extend the term of the Lease for the period of November 17, 2025, through December 31, 2026, under the same terms and conditions, except the deletion of the existing five-year extension option.
On March 22, 1993 (Item No. 30), Parks entered into the Lease with Amphitheater Entertainment Corporation for approximately 39.68 acres located at 2475 Glen Helen Parkway in San Bernardino (Property), which is now referred to as Glen Helen Amphitheater (Amphitheater) for a 25-year term with two five-year options to extend. In the 31 years since the Lease was originally approved, the Board of Supervisors (Board) have approved the following 13 amendments to change the name of the Amphitheater, re-assign the Lease to different operators, including Live Nation, revise revenue calculations, update insurance provisions, revise the premises, add to the County’s allowance of events, allow EDM events, exercise Live Nation’s first option to extend the term and to extend the first extended term due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
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Amendment No. |
Approval Date |
Item No. |
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1 |
March 22, 1993 |
30 |
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2 |
April 5, 1994 |
56 |
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3 |
January 13, 1998 |
49 |
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4 |
January 13, 1998 |
49 |
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5 |
June 9, 1998 |
28 |
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6 |
April 8, 2003 |
55 |
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7 |
August 25, 2009 |
13 |
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8 |
January 29, 2013 |
61 |
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9 |
March 3, 2015 |
53 |
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10 |
June 26, 2018 |
51 |
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11 |
June 8, 2021 |
76 |
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12 |
November 14, 2023 |
72 |
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13 |
December 3, 2024 |
47 |
On August 27, 2025, Parks requested that the Real Estate Services Department (RESD) process a 13 month and 14 day extension and keep the same terms and conditions for the period of November 17, 2025, through December 31, 2026. County and Live Nation are currently in non-competitive good faith negotiations for a new long-term Lease. The current term expires on November 16, 2025, and the concert season at the Amphitheater typically runs from March through November. Live Nation informed Parks that they have begun scheduling for the upcoming 2026 concert season. Parks requested that RESD prepare the Amendment to extend the term of the Lease while RESD continues to negotiate the terms and conditions of a new long-term Lease with Live Nation. The proposed Amendment also allows the County to conduct a Request for Proposals (RFP) process at any time during the extended term and the County may enter into a lease or other occupancy agreement at its sole discretion for the period after the extended term with a party the County selects through the RFP process or otherwise pursuant to law and County Policy.
If the parties come to a new long-term agreement, a new lease agreement would be brought to the Board for consideration prior to the end of the extended term. In the event the Parties are not able to reach an agreement on the terms and conditions for a long-term extension of the Lease prior to the expiration of the extended term, this Lease shall terminate at the end of the extended term.
The project to approve the Amendment was reviewed pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Existing Facilities (Class 1) because the proposed amendment to the Lease is to secure property to operate within the existing structure with negligible or no expansion of existing use and there is no possibility that the amendment of the Lease will have a significant effect on the environment.
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Summary of Lease Terms |
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Lessor: |
Live Nation Worldwide, Inc., a Delaware Corporation Geni Lincoln, President, California Regions |
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Location: |
2475 Glen Helen Parkway, San Bernardino; comprising of a portion of Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 0348161010000, and additional parking identified as portions of APN’s 0348161010000, 0349191180000, and 0349191220000 |
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Size: |
Approximately 39.68 acres |
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Term: |
13 months and 14 days, November 17, 2025, through December 31, 2026 |
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Options: |
None |
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Rent: |
Annual: $1,725,644 |
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Paid in six-month increments each year |
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Improvement Costs: |
None |
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Custodial: |
Provided by Operator |
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Maintenance: |
Provided by County |
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Utilities: |
Provided by Operator |
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Insurance: |
The Certificate of Liability Insurance, as required by the Lease, is on file with RESD |
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Holdover: |
N/A |
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Right to Terminate: |
Neither party has the right to terminate for convenience |
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Parking: |
Sufficient for Operator needs |
PROCUREMENT
County Policy No. 12-05 does not apply to amendments of existing leases, provided that if an amendment (other than the exercise of an option by a Park tenant or concessionaire) would change the level of the lease procedure from a Short Term Lease to Solicitation of Proposal, the Regional Parks Department and RESD shall bring the lease to the Board for direction on how to proceed.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant and John Tubbs II, Deputies County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 12, 2025; Regional Parks (Beahta Davis, Director, 387-2886) on November 10, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on October 8, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Elias Duenas, 387-4052, and Eduardo Mora, 387-4376, Administrative Analysts) on October 30, 2025.
(LB: 453-5227)