‘Surf City’ Is Hatching Plans to Cash In on Nickname : Finance: Huntington Beach is searching for firms that will ante up in exchange for being a sponsor or supplier.

HUNTINGTON BEACH —  After being unofficially known as “Surf City” for four decades, Huntington Beach is now hoping to cash in on the nickname.

The City Council in September adopted “Surf City” for its official name and last week began a search for businesses that will provide the city with goods or cash in exchange for being an “official sponsor or supplier to Surf City Huntington Beach.”

City officials do not know how much money they may make with the strategy but believe the program could eventually become a key revenue source.

In the coming months, the city will be looking for Surf City’s official soft drink, car, radio station, candy bar, charge card, gasoline, airline and food store, among others.

The city will be targeting Southern California companies and will not accept as sponsors any companies selling alcohol or tobacco products. Huntington Beach has a policy forbidding advertising of alcohol or tobacco at city events.

An official sponsor would pay the city a fee--to be negotiated--in exchange for advertising at city-sponsored events, on the city’s local cable-TV station and at city community centers. Official suppliers would receive similar recognition in exchange for donating products the city routinely uses, such as computers, athletic equipment, printing services and paper products.

Another aspect of the marketing program would attract companies to manufacture and sell a line of souvenir products bearing the “Surf City Huntington Beach” logo, which has yet to be designed. The city would receive a 10% royalty fee from surfboards, skateboards, beach towels, ice chests and school supplies emblazoned with the official logo.

The city also wants to form corporate partnerships, under which the city would run a community program and businesses would pay for it. Programs would include park development projects, beach cleanup efforts and a seniors outreach project.

City officials are also considering a host of other Surf City money-making schemes, including developing an official mascot, holding annual Surf City theme promotional events and offering Surf City vacation packages to boost tourism.

The city staff is developing the program. City officials decided against issuing a blanket request for sponsors because it prefers to be selective about the companies it forms ties with, said Ron Hagan, the city’s community services director.

“We’ve agreed to move slowly on this,” Hagan said.