When you make items for the contest you are supposed to get a bonus when you sell them. Therefore, even if you dont place you make more money. What Spike said was instead of getting a bonus, you actually make less than what you normally have. Looks like a programming error AND there are way too many of those!
Also I did an experiment today on the concert by request bonus (at top under population). The time reduction only affects production you start after using it. The productions you already have going are not effected. This would be useful on quarry instead of using a credit to get the last item. But you have to use concert before starting production!
[City: Podunk / User: Trumpster2 / Level *52*]