Glendale City Council signs off on 2013 Rose Parade float

The Alex Theatre, Americana at Brand and Glendale Adventist Medical Center are set to take center stage on Glendale's float for the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade after the Glendale City Council on Tuesday approved the final design.

City officials took a more proactive role in all aspects of the float after the circus elephant design for 2012 led to backlash from animal advocates, particularly from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which protested what the group considered to be a symbol of animal cruelty.

This time, the float has no animal references. Instead, it focuses on its two corporate sponsors.

Although City Council members gave their approval, they suggested a few tweaks that may be incorporated into the final design.

The float features a pillar topped with the image of the Alex Theatre in the center, book-ended by the Americana at Brand trolley and images representing Glendale Adventist.

The current hospital images include a surgeon mid-operation — a symbol that City Council members said didn't fit the float's theme, “Living the Good Life.” They want to swap the surgeon with images of newborn babies.

Mari Abrams, a spokeswoman for the hospital, agreed with the suggestion.

City Councilwoman Laura Friedman also suggested the float's theme — to be placed on the marquee of the Alex Theatre — be changed from “Living the Good Life” to “The Good Life. Animated,” a play on Glendale's new official tagline, “Your Life. Animated.”

Glendale launched a new marketing campaign this year, including the new tagline, to combat the notion that the city is boring. The float also includes a film reel, a nod to Glendale's animation studios.

The float committee, which consists of corporate sponsors and city officials, said they'd look into the theme change.

The Americana at Brand and Glendale Adventist gave a combined $60,000 to pay for the $99,000 float. Glendale officials are still looking for more corporate sponsors to cover the bill, since the city continues to face financial difficulties.

City Manager Scott Ochoa said 15 requests for sponsorships have been sent out, but corporate donations of $25,000 to $35,000 are hard to come by.

Officials plan to evaluate other options if more corporate sponsors don't come

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