The San Francisco Symphony Gets a Break Under New Law

Champagne corks will be popping at the San Francisco Symphony November 2 – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation allowing the symphony to accept monetary contributions and alcoholic beverages from makers of beer, wine and distilled spirits.

A small portion of the symphony’s facility has a retail license to sell alcohol, which prevents them from accepting alcohol from manufacturers under California’s “tied house” laws.

“This bill will ensure that the (symphony) continues to set the highest possible standard for excellence in musical performance at home and around the world; enriching, serving, and shaping cultural life throughout the spectrum of Bay Area Communities while maintaining financial stability,” says the author the measure, Sen. Pat Wiggins, a Santa Rosa Democrat.

 Founded in 1911, the symphony has a budget of $53.7 million and is considered to be among the country’s most artistically adventurous.

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