MIAMI, Fla. (CelebrityAccess) The Miami City Commission unanimously voted down a contract yesterday that would keep Ultra Music Festival at the city’s 32-acre Bayfront Park.
In what is considered a “significant setback” for the future of the festival, the rejection comes after a public dispute between two commissioners with a “political grudge” and mixed public opinion. Many in the audience were identified as neighbors who oppose the festival, according to the Miami Herald.
The Ultra Music Festival has taken place on the city’s waterfront for 18 years. Organizers say that even if the the EDM event doesn’t return to the park next year, they would attempt to salvage a concert at the park this March. An agreement could still be worked out the vote reported elated the NIMBYs.
“Is there a world where we could work something out that we could live with? I don’t see it today,” Kenneth Schwartz, who wore a white hat emblazoned with “Save Bayfront Park,” told the Herald.
Ultra head of security and spokesman Ray Martinez told the paper the festival still wants to stay on the waterfront.
“We’re disappointed, obviously. We’re going to meet again with the city and hopefully be able to resolve the outstanding issues and the issues that the residents have, and be able to come back to the city with an acceptable agreement that they would be ready to vote on.”
Martinez said the vote did not mark the end of Ultra in Bayfront Park.
“We’ve been around for 20 years, and we’re a big part of this city. I think the city recognizes this as well,” he said. “It’s certainly a little bit of a setback, but we continue to move forward. We know we have work to do, but we’re looking to hosting a great festival in 2019.”
Ultra could reemerge at a venue like the Hard Rock Stadium, which hosts the Rolling Loud music festival after it ran into the same opposition from downtown residents, the Herald suggested, but Martinez would not comment on alternative plans for Ultra.
“We’re disappointed, obviously. We’re going to meet again with the city and hopefully be able to resolve the outstanding issues and the issues that the residents have, and be able to come back to the city with an acceptable agreement that they would be ready to vote on.”
Martinez said the vote did not mark the end of Ultra in Bayfront Park.
“There has been some confusion about the ramifications of today’s vote,” Ultra stated. “The vote today represents only a denial of certain terms of the current proposed 5-year contract, rather than the continued production of the overall festival itself.”
— Ultra Music Festival (@ultra) September 27, 2018
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