This letter to Chaffee County Commissioners was shared with Ark Valley Voice:
To Commissioner Keith Baker, Commissioner Greg Felt, and Commissioner Rusty Granzella,
No words can describe how the Chaffee County music and arts community is feeling after your decision to not increase the capacity of Seven Peaks. Many of us are wondering if any of you feel remorse after Live Nation canceled the event and announced a new location outside Chaffee County? If so, would the commissioners be willing to publicly apologize to the music and arts community for [in our opinion] its poor decision-making? If not, will the commissioners save face by allowing Meet Me at the Creek festival to take place at the Meadows in September?
Music festivals happen in residential areas all over the country. I’m a new resident in Chaffee County after living the last 20 years in Austin, TX. ACL Music Festival takes place in Zilker Park that is surrounded by residential properties on all sides.
ACL was started by local promoters C3 Presents which was eventually purchased by Live Nation in 2014. According to this article, in 2018 the economic impact to the city of Austin was $264 million. And over the tenure of the festival leading up to 2018, C3 Presents had donated upwards of $35 million to the city parks department. Think about what we could have been; Live Nation is the largest promoter in the world, and now they are gone.
Growth and change is inevitable, does Chaffee County want to be part of this change or are we the county that turns into a mountain suburb of second homeowners with no true identity?
I am strongly in favor of all live music events to be held at the Meadows, and encourage the commissioners to unanimously approve the permit application for Meet Me at the Creek.
Regards,
Brian H. Conway
Buena Vista
Demanding an apology? I’d like to say thanks. Thank you commissioners — and our Health Commissioner — for being thoughtful during a swiftly evolving pandemic; that’s the basis of this decision, and I think it was the right one. There are ways to build bridges and to develop working relationships with neighbors, govt officials, community members, businesses and visitors. Ramming through a commercial interest in the face of questions, reservations and objections doesn’t create community. I know that many community-enhancing events and activities can and do get off the ground gracefully to the benefit of many in Chaffee County. There are just too many good reasons this one didn’t win hearts and minds, and ultimately didn’t gain approval. Might be time for the promoters to re-evaluate their tactics in general.
I’m just curious if Mr Conway actually ever went to Zilker Park. It’s 350 acres, a city park with botanical gardens, a large lake on one end, pretty much surrounded by other than residences. I guess it would have a little better draw with a fixed venue, large city to absorb all the people, major airport for people to come in….. BTW, the BoCC didn’t limit the capacity for Seven Peaks, they put a limit on ALL outdoor venues. Also, Live Nation still did not have a permit when they pulled out, so don’t blame the BoCC.
If you like the way Texas handles concerts, may I suggest you move back there. Don’t move here & then try to change it into the place you left.
The commissioners have NO reason to apologize.