Listen Live
97.9 The Box Featured Video
CLOSE

SMH this event brings millions to their city and they are always complaining.

 

Jay Z and Live Nation are experiencing a bit of a hiccup with their Budweiser Made In America 2014 move to Los Angeles. The huge festival has generated millions of revenue for the city of Pittsburgh in its previous two years but the area city Councilman Jose Huizar appears to be powertripping and wants to put a freeze on the August 30 and 31 dates for Grand Central park. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti approved MIA’s happening but Huizar won’t be satisfied until all the t’s are crossed with pretty cursive.

Huizar drafted a rare council motion recently that would require a report on “any permits, actions, public safety concerns, and any necessary cost implications of the proposed” noon-to-11 p.m. event and withhold permits until he’s seen that report.

This is not about opposing special events or any particular concert, it’s about making sure the affected community, in this case downtown stakeholders, is part of the planning process sooner rather than later. When you’re talking about a proposed event of this magnitude, with 50,000 expected, multiple-day street closures, beer and for-profit ticket sales at a public park, it is imperative that we have an open, inclusive dialogue in ensuring it’s a good fit for the neighborhood and if it is, that concerns are mitigated well in advance.

None of these things – street closures, permits, public safety issues – were put before his office (as would be the norm) before the event was apparently green-lighted, Huizar’s motion indicates:

Local community groups have also not been informed. The City cannot support an event where there has been no community outreach to engage affected residents and gain necessary feedback. This is particularly important in Downtown, where exponential growth in population density has led to a mounting concern over street closures that impede access and cause traffic congestion.

None of this actually means the concert won’t happen but protocols must be met and Mayor Garcetti’s is taking careful consideration on the matter.

The park is said to have held 25,000 people during New Year’s Eve but for Jay Z, expect that number to double.

jay-z-brooklyn-nets-250x179

Source:HipHopWired.com