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Okay, Maybe Most of Austin Doesn’t Want To Move ACL From Zilker After All

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Image: C3 Presents / Katrina Barber

After calling attention last week to the surprising results of the Zilker Vision Plan’s first community survey, which indicated that a considerable number of Austinites would like to see the Austin City Limits Music Festival moved from Zilker Park to another location more accommodating of its large crowds, we got a front-row seat to the intensity of local debate surrounding this subject — for one, our Facebook post of last week’s article is still generating comments back and forth a full seven days later:

After testing the waters with a public survey of our own, we’ve received 415 responses (and counting) on whether ACL still belongs at Zilker, and now that a week’s passed we’re surprised again to discover that the crowd in favor of keeping the festival at its original location has edged out a victory, though not a wide one. After adding up every answer, this survey’s currently sitting at 55 percent of respondents in favor of keeping the event where it is, with 44 percent supporting a move to Circuit of the Americas or elsewhere — that last 1 percent disregarded our fairly clear instructions for either a “yes” or “no” answer by saying they don’t know, which is very Austin of them.

Here’s a few arguments against moving ACL out of Zilker from our survey: 

“No. It’s part of the charm of Austin. It’s one of the main things that makes Austin, well, Austin. If you think it’s too loud or there’s too much traffic, then move to the suburbs. It’s an indication that you’ve grown too old for the young vibrant city life. It happens to many of us. Nothing wrong with it, but don’t expect the world to slow down for you. ACL is important to the businesses in and around downtown. It’s huge for the Austin economy, small and large businesses. Just because these handful of neighbors don’t personally benefit financially from this event doesn’t mean they can ruin it for the rest of us.”    

“No! Bad zoning breeds exclusionary mindsets—upzone areas around Zilker and we’ll get more diversity of opinions.”
 
“Absolutely not. ACL is not ACL without Zilker Park. Half the fun of the festival is lounging on the ACL grounds and enjoying the greenery and skyline view behind the main stage. It is centrally located in Austin and has greater access to public transportation and is scooter distance from a lot of the city’s younger population who attend. Ask anyone who has been to JMBLYA and they’ll tell you COTA is a horrible venue.”
 
“No. All of the responses of people wanting the festival moved are NIMBYs that live in the Zilker neighborhood and want to milk all of its benefits while dealing with none of the cons. They were successful in campaigning to get their publicly funded streets closed during events, making them harder to attend by other Austin residents, and now they want to move the festival entirely. ACL is famous because of Zilker. Take that away and you ruin the experience.”
 
“No!!! I live in the area, and that’s one of the reasons I live there. I love to participate for the last 11 years! I have lived in the area for 25 years, and even before I started going to ACL, I figured that was part of living in the neighborhood. ACL would not be the same at circuit of the americas. It needs the Zilker Park environment to make it what it is! Please do not change it!!!”
 
“ACL belongs in Zilker. Many city residents attend ACL. The location is great because it is accessible by many different transportation points and the park gives the festival an extra special feeling. I live near the park and usually attend the festival, even when I don’t attend I love the vibrancy in music and life it brings to the area. Efforts should absolutely be increased to ensure the event does not degrade the quality of the park. The park serves the region, not just those fortunate enough to live close to it.”
 
“No. Music festivals are typically held in remote areas that limit their accessibility to people that require ADA accommodations. Having a major festival within the infrastructure of a city is crucial to decolonizing music festivals and giving access to those who otherwise lack it due to circumstances outside of their control.”
    
“Moving ACL from Zilker would be a huge blow to the experience of the festival and to the city. Parks like Zilker are made to be shared and shown off – I can’t see any benefit to moving such a flagship festival to a nondescript location on the fringes (like COTA). Yes, the setup process and active festival weekends dominate the park for those spans of days. Parks are meant to host events. Where do we draw the line? If ACL’s mere presence in its home park is considered bothersome, and the festival moves to take place on a sea of asphalt, we’re really on our way to squeezing all the fun out of Austin.”
   

“No, the beauty of ACL is that high school students can walk from school and neighbors can bike to see legends. Yes, it stinks that the park is closed for many weeks, but the festival is also the reason the Zilker grass and area is so well funded.”

“No. I personally am not interested in the festival, but it’s events like these that draw people into Austin, making it a denser, more vibrant city. The tax revenue from these folks traveling from afar can help to pay for valuable improvements for the city – like Project Connect, and park improvements! The festival wouldn’t be the same vibe at all if it was held at COTA.”

“NO. Part of what makes ACL a good festival is being located in a city park. The ability to be in town and attend aftershows at the local clubs while attending the festival is a special experience. I live nearby and I understand the the inconvenience of the crowds for two weeks but that is part of living in the heart of of city. Austin has lots of other green space to use during the time Zilker hosts events.”
 
“No. ACL in Zilker is an iconic image of the city. Moving it to a soulless race track west of the city is a victory for making Austin more corporate and not less so. (And a vivid metaphor for how entrenched NIMBY politics has driven music out of Austin for the last 40 years.)”
 

And here’s a look at a few responses from those in favor of moving the festival away from Zilker:

“YES! I live on Kinney Ave. and that concert is a 24/7 PITA. One year during week 1, our Acura was damaged so badly by someone standing on the car, that they had to cut the roof off and replace it!”
 
“Yes! Traffic, trash, noise, difficulty getting to Barton Springs, long term restricted access to our public park before, during and after. Need I go on? Circling helicopters, neighborhood parking…”
 
“Yes, definitely. It should have happened when they decided to expand to two weekends. You have to look at the entire impact on the limiting of use of the park, with the closing down for setup and takedown. And then it is almost immediately followed by the same expanded closure for Trail of Lights. With the growing number of people living in the area, the park needs to be returned for public use, especially during the months where we enjoy our best weather in Austin.”
 
“Yes. It is no longer an event for Austinites but an event for corporate and ultra rich out of towners. Circuit of the Americas was built for corporate and ultra rich out of towners. As someone who attended ACL for 10 years it has lost its local feel and does not deserve a local location.”
 
“Yes it should be moved from Zilker. Too large crowds. Not acceptable to close park for significant amount of time during nice part of year. Let the tax paying residents enjoy their park.”
 
“Yes. I am a lifelong Austinite and I don’t get to enjoy the park during months of the year where it is most enjoyable. The crowds are insane. This city has been sold out to big corporations to very little benefit of its citizens. We want to enjoy that skyline, too, without dangerously sized crowds trampling one of our most beautiful spaces. Move it.”

“Yes. Impossible as a resident that works downtown to get to and from work in less than an hour.”

“YES! it’s too big. The setup and take down take forever and then the lawn is wrecked and then Trail of Lights build in starts. We end up losing access to our flagship park for months. Our tax dollars pay for the park — people from out of town who pay $$$ for ACL tickets need to go somewhere else and let us enjoy our park. Agree the Trail of Lights also needs to go.”
 
“Yes because it takes away access to the park for over 2 weeks, then leaves the park destroyed for months. The crowds are too much for the neighborhood to deal with now.”
 
“Yes! The noise, traffic, parking in neighborhoods for starters! The crime and vandalism never mind the drunks strolling where they want, the trash left on the streets, in people’s yards, damage to private vehicles the list goes on and on! My question is why won’t the city move it to a location that is able to handle the festival…greed? I know that C3 makes a lot of money off of this and resods Zilker and Austin makes a ton of money…none of which the CITIZENS OF AUSTIN GET!”
 
“Yes. It is too large, too expensive and too corporate. The bands are primarily from out of town as are many of the guests. to be clear, it’s fun and I’ve attended it numerous times, but I don’t think it is a suitable activity for public parkland.”
 
“Yes. It has become a burden to the homeowners, citizens and traffic of the area. Worst of all the damage to the park from the thousands of humans trampling all over it!”
 
As we mentioned last week, the responses you’ll get to this question largely depend on who you ask. The respondents to the original survey, which was heavily circulated among neighborhood associations and environmental groups, is going to skew a little different than our readership — whatever the case, we’re happy to see so much feedback on the issue. It’s probably worth pointing out again that there’s absolutely zero indication this sort of relocation of the event would even be considered by the Parks Department or mentioned in the final Zilker Vision Plan, so don’t lose your shirt just yet. We’re simply enjoying what turned out to be a pretty lively debate.

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