Sacramento (Oct. 3, 2022) As residents and visitors spend more time enjoying Sacramento’s growing nightlife and entertainment options, the City of Sacramento has created a new position – the nighttime economy manager – to serve as a coordinator, collaborator, mediator, policy maker and single point of contact for the nighttime economy.

City Manager Howard Chan has appointed Tina Lee-Vogt to the new position, starting immediately.

Lee-Vogt since 2009 has managed the City’s Entertainment Permit Program, which includes reviewing, approving, issuing and administering permits to businesses throughout the city. In addition to leading an inter-departmental team that addresses and resolves entertainment and nightlife related issues, she also collaborates with the Police and Fire departments to offer the “Pubs, Clubs, and Bars” training for local businesses.

Tina Lee Vogt (in red dress) stands with other City and business leaders to announce her new position.

She has fulfilled this role while overseeing other major citywide programs such as tenant protection and rental housing. This new appointment allows her to focus her full attention on managing the city’s growing nighttime economy and working more closely with local businesses, residents and communities.

“Credit to our city manager for making an excellent appointment,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “It’s great to see so many people out exploring our city’s growing nightlife scene. Tina’s new position is part of our effort to support this growth while making sure the nighttime environment is safe for everyone to enjoy.”

Lee-Vogt’s appointment is the latest in a series of steps the City of Sacramento has made in recent months to improve safety in the city core, including new lighting and security for Downtown, Midtown and the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Police officers in the entertainment unit are now working until 3 a.m., focusing on hotspots in Downtown and Midtown. Bike officers are working until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and the department has increased the amount of overtime capacity for officers focusing on areas around entertainment venues. Community-based organizations are also working with the city to intervene with youth and adults before violence develops.

As nighttime economy manager, Lee-Vogt will oversee and centralize ongoing efforts from various departments – including Code Enforcement, Police, Public Works and the Office of Innovation and Economic Development – and work closely with local businesses, residents and communities to address any issues and further enhance the development of Sacramento’s nighttime economy.

The need for this new position was identified by the City Council, Councilmember Katie Valenzuela and the Sacramento Police Department. Additional input was provided by a business leadership group that included Midtown Association Executive Director Emily Baime Michaels and Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

“We’re really excited to see our nightlife return, but we need to take additional steps to ensure patrons are able to safely enjoy our amazing businesses. This new position is absolutely a step in the right direction,” said Councilmember Valenzuela. “Tina Lee-Vogt is a great choice for the role. I look forward to continuing to work together with Tina and the rest of our city team to support our businesses while keeping our community safe.”

The City currently oversees more than 80 active entertainment permits across Sacramento. The nighttime economy manager will help to ensure that this growing section of the City’s economy is managed and nurtured in most effective way possible, officials said.

“With more than 60 of these entertainment permits concentrated in the Central City, the Midtown Association joins our fellow business organizations in applauding the efforts to invest in the vibrancy of Sacramento’s urban core,” Baime Michaels said. “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. This is a great step on building a thriving 18-to-24-hour city that we strive to become.”

The nighttime economy manager will also be responsible for continuing the City’s effort to ensure an entertainment permit process that does not impose undue burdens on applicants and further developing a working group with businesses and community organizations that will tackle issues that impact the nighttime economy and find collaborative solutions.

“As cities evolve, we want to ensure that we’re supporting the uniqueness of our central city nightlife,” said Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “The foundation of a thriving social economy is rooted in sufficient and well-coordinated resources to support an ecosystem that balances vibrancy with safety for our community. Adding this position to the city’s Economic Development Department is a vital step towards elevating the experience for our guests of the Golden 1 Center, Convention Center and throughout our entertainment district.”

Lee-Vogt has more than 30 years of service with the City and has worked in a variety of departments, including Police, Neighborhood Services and Finance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from CSU Chico and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from CSU Sacramento. She is also a member of Nitecap, a nighttime economy, culture and policy alliance.

Sacramento this fall will host the Sociable City Academy from the Responsible Hospitality Industry. This conference brings together nightlife economy managers and venues from across the state to highlight the evolution and approach to nighttime economy management with support from Visit Sacramento.