Following the announcement that One Spark, Inc. is making some several new changes, including the creation of its new social purpose corporation and the resignation of CEO Elton Rivas, chairman of the company Peter Rummell shared his thoughts about the latest situation and the future of the One Spark Festival.
While at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Tuesday, Rummell discussed One Spark’s decisions:
“I think we’re at a turning point. I think things are about to get really interesting. 2016 can’t be like 2015. And 2015 can’t be like 2014. We lost a lot of money in 2015 and we lost a lot of money in 2014. And we can’t keep doing that. As we reach out in the Ventures arm and we go from a one-week festival to a year-round event. I think that’s going to breed a different set of products and a different environment.”
Rummell then noted that this year’s One Spark festival, which is scheduled for April 7-9 in a 10-square-block area of downtown Jacksonville, is now no longer a certainty:
“[Dates] are fixed until they’re not. We’re looking at everything. We’re trying to figure out what makes most sense for this April and for next April. I don’t know the answer.”
Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority CEO, Aundra Wallace, also commented on One Spark’s news and developments:
“In terms of my concern, I have none. I’ve been around in the industry long enough to know that where there’s a start there will always be a transition to move to the next level. Today what they talked about was moving One Spark to that next level itself. That means good things for us.”
Wallace then added:
“The bottom line and issue is, as much as we enjoy the festival, the part that we most enjoy about One Spark is the creators and inventors being able to get funded, being able to be recognized, and finding their way into being much more productive businesses.”