Residents of the Miami bay have reportedly launched an attempt to either refuse or restrict the use the Bayfront Park from mass events, with a clear target on Ultra Music Festival. According to reddit user @FL21, A newsletter sent out (pictured below) to city residents boasts that a group have reportedly won over three of five commissioners for an upcoming vote on the venue’s contract.
Ultra’s representatives today won a deferred the vote on the issue which is now scheduled for the 27th of September. It is unclear what the vote will mean for Ultra or their ability to use the Bay Park at this stage. Launching in 1999 the festival has grown to become the main attraction of Miami Music Week and the Winter Music Confrence.
The festival has moved between Bicentennial park and the Baypark several times, and this is not the first time they have encountered oppositions from commissioners. When Ultra moved to two weekends it was argued the closures required would be “disruptive to the local business community and area residents due to noise, nuisance behavior of festival goers, and grid lock traffic”. Forbes, suggested that Ultra has been predicted to generate upwards of over $200 million in some years.
Considering the event brings a significant injection from tourism related spending, we assume local representatives will carefully make these decisions. Officials also stated that the recent 2018 edition of Ultra was the “safest” in recent years, reporting only 27 arrests and no “major” incidents.
Ultra has now expanded into Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, South Africa, Mexico, India and Croatia but hasn’t been without issues. They also reportedly have plans for new editions in California, China and Russia in 2019.
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