According to the consultant report, the city of Lahti’s event activities are characterized by inaccuracy and a lack of clear goals. The city’s event strategy was made in 2011 and has not been updated since then.
The city of Lahti has commissioned a report on its own event production. Consulting company Kuusisto
The city’s subsidiaries KOKO Lahti, Lahti Events, Lahti Region and the city’s own event production unit operate in the events sector. According to the report, the actors have an independent role and they implement events professionally and with high quality. However, it is difficult for outsiders to understand how the organization as a whole works. There are also competitive settings between organizations. Everyone’s goal is to have the best events in Lahti.
The report also revealed that Lahti’s event strategy was last renewed in 2011 and has not been updated since then, even though the city’s strategy has been renewed.
However, according to the consultant report commissioned by the city of Lahti, the city needs its own event company in order to be able to secure its position among other event cities.
Lahti Events is seen as a private company
Lahti Events o.y., which is 100% owned by the city of Lahti, is undergoing an additional audit, which will be published later. The actors interviewed by the consulting company saw Lahti Events as a private company that competed with the rest of the market. Several interviewees saw that the services produced by Lahti Events could be purchased on the open market.
The city is running down Lahti Events oy. Kymiring, which organized the MotoGP event in Iitti, applied for corporate restructuring, which was the final nail for the city’s event company.
However, the consultant recommends that the city should still look at the company’s mission and its importance for Lahti in a longer perspective. A company owned by the city is able to operate in the field of events, taking into account the interest of its owner. If a similar service were to be purchased from a private individual, it would require the city to commit to purchasing the services or provide other financial support.