Austin Music Source

By jd

October 4, 2009 12:38 PM | Link to this

looking at the picture, what root system?

By Robbie

October 4, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this

So, one of the nicest and most popular parks in Austin was closed for several months to re-sod. Then it was closed for an entire month before the festival so that it could be set up for a 3 day festival.

Now it seems that the park will be closed for an undetermined amount of time for it to “heal” from the festival.

It’s time to rename this part of the park from Zilker Park to ACL Park.

What a shame. What a wasteful shame.

Time to move Zilker and return the park to the free use of the rest of the city.

By omglawdork

October 4, 2009 1:28 PM | Link to this

I was there all day yesterday, and it’s true - there is definitely still rooted grass under the mud (how, I don’t know), so there may yet be hope! I’ll keep my (now very muddy) fingers crossed.

By Roger

October 4, 2009 2:13 PM | Link to this

Pave it and make it into a giant parking lot. It would cost less and generate revenue from the parking fees. It’s win win for the city!

By Ridiculous!

October 4, 2009 2:26 PM | Link to this

I’m with Robbie! Why is a city-owned park being monopolized for so long for the sole benefit of a minority of the city’s population? And why is this part of the park now off-limits to soccer players (assuming I have heard correctly)? Is it because soccer players didn’t pay for it so they lose the right to abuse the space?

By AustinPARD = Hypocrites!!

October 4, 2009 2:30 PM | Link to this

This is infuriating. The hypocrisy of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (or perhaps we rename them the Venue Maintenance Division of C3 Presents?) is so clear that it is more disgusting than this pile of mud.

Throughout the year, team sports like soccer are now banned at Zilker because they might tear up the beautiful new grass on The Great Lawn. However, for three days, the same logic and reason is ignored, and the requirement to protect the grass is waived as ACL Fest literally decimates our city’s property.

Austin PARD is now spending over 99% of the year protecting the grass so that it can be used by a private, profit-reaping festival company during the remaining three days.

ZILKER IS A PUBLIC PARK, NOT A MUSIC VENUE. This absurd disparity in priorities (private music festival over public sports leagues) in the park billed as the “Crown Jewel” of Austin is completely unjustifiable and totally enraging.

By Jenny

October 4, 2009 2:35 PM | Link to this

Robbie said it best.

By sad

October 4, 2009 2:39 PM | Link to this

It is very sad!! The grass Is GONE! Nothing left. I think it is time for everyone to realize that ACL is too much for our Zilker park to handle. It is time that another venue is found that can take the abuse of thie mass of humanity for three days.

By bosh

October 4, 2009 2:42 PM | Link to this

Robbie, at least get your facts straight and be accurate if you’re going to take time to complain in a public forum. I was at Zilker Park numerous times the past 3 weeks. The park and grass were beautiful and open for public pleasure up until Monday September 28th when the fence was installed and preparation for ACL began. I actually was surprised that all that work could happen in such a short time frame but it did.

The festival is one of the city’s finest attributes and brings countless out of town dollars to Austin and our restaurants, hotels, and retailers.

Auditorium Shores remains wide open and available throughout the weekend.

Thanks.

By kicked us out...Twice???

October 4, 2009 2:44 PM | Link to this

Wait a second now. A very popular high school cross country meet was not allowed to happen at the end of August becasue the park had to be preserved for this event. No usage was allowed. Now another meet at the end of the cross country season which is always in Zilker Park was promised to our citizen high schoolers! The city better not say we can’t use it AGAIN! How sad! That is the hoghlight of the cross country season and everyone sacrifices beinga ble to use OUR park for this ONE single event that brutalizes it. I say let the citizens of this area use our park while it is being repaired from ACL abuse. Enough of the privitization of public parkland.

By Eddie

October 4, 2009 2:52 PM | Link to this

No, no, no. If you actually KNOW what’s going on, the park is only closed for about 3 weeks total for set up, event days AND take down - total. I’m not sure where this “robbie” gets information. AND, if you WERE actually on site. There is grass everywhere. It looks like the muck just floated up and coated the grass. One rain will probably wash it all back down to the ground. Sheesh people, look and scream. Where you Austin moaners actually there?????? Get a life.

By Voice of Reason

October 4, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this

The revenue from this event is enormous for the city and local business. The taxes alone could re-sod the park 10x+ over, more so then a bunch of selfish hackey sack stoners.

hmmmm… OK, you know what, a change of mind. Ban ACL, bring back the soccer players and you pay the taxes they generate. (uh dont you pay tax?).

By Broadway

October 4, 2009 3:28 PM | Link to this

Maybe ACL should pay for the length of time the park remains unusable to the public. That would certainly encourage them to fix their damage faster.

By It's a park, not a revenue generation tool

October 4, 2009 3:55 PM | Link to this

Dear Voice of Reason -

I do pay taxes. My taxes have already paid for that park so that Austin’s citizens can use it as a park.

The city is not supposed to be a revenue generator. It is government, not a for-profit entity.

If revenue generation is the only goal, I dare say that a 5-story parking garage would fit quite nicely on the space occupied by the Great Lawn. I bet all of the businesses in the area would benefit from the increased traffic to and from the city’s lovely new parking garage. And, best of all, it would be a more consistent revenue stream, generated all year.

So, let’s do it. Kill the park. Let’s make money! Money for you? No! Money for me? No sir! Money for the city! And money for a private vendor! That sounds like a great use of publicly owned, publicly maintained land!

By 2daXtreme

October 4, 2009 4:31 PM | Link to this

I could use a piece of Zilker Park to open up a kite shop. Why doesn’t the city allow me to buy a little chunk of it and make some money? I’d pay them taxes and that’s what it’s all about, right? Taxes. Because we’re money grubbing yuppies and we all moved to Austin or our parents moved to Austin so we could be around like-minded money grubbing yuppies who will willingly pay $200 to be covered in our own feces by C3.

By looking for the facts

October 4, 2009 5:30 PM | Link to this

It does seem concerning that a public park, paid for(numbers?) by taxes of the public, is off limits for such an extended period. Does the private entity that puts on ACL pay for the entire time, with compensatory monies additional? What are the exact terms for reparation? It is to original condition? The city had a $4 million deficit for 2009, and completely re-sodded this park, at what cost? Can we afford this? Or does this event provide not only the compensation for preparation, closure, repair, plus additional revenue for the city? Where are the facts available? Does anyone know? I would like to explore.

By ACL attendee AND park user

October 4, 2009 6:06 PM | Link to this

It is about the length of time that it is kept unusable for many of us and our kids who have been able to use it in past years. The cross country event scheduled last August was not allowed to be there because no organized activity could use the park before ACL. It had to be pristine for a private user. Now the scheduled District meet for our cross country runners is sure to be canceled. That is the kids favorite meet and place to run and they don’t damage the park! It is so unfair. It is NOT about the revenue brought in so much as it is about citizens, students, and public groups being allowed use of this special area of the park. Auditorium shores doesn’t cut it. Maybe Auditorium shores can be sacrificed for ACL. Hmm.

By facts?

October 4, 2009 6:08 PM | Link to this

Eddie, there is NOT GRASS EVERYWHERE. It is gone. Be real.

By john

October 4, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this

I live near zilker and it was fenced off for most of the year and only opened for a month or so then closed 2 weeks before ACL. I hope it was closed for most of the year for the new grass to become strong enough withstand the ACL traffic. My son and I went there the week before it was closed for ACL setup. It’ll be pretty lame if it stays closed for months again. The grass was beautiful just before ACL.

By Buck

October 4, 2009 7:35 PM | Link to this

This is where the buck stops. Right here! This ACLfest event must move to a different venue. Zilker Park and the close neighborhoods are terribly over-used and littered or destroyed by the crowds. This annual destruction must stop. Who is making money on this mess? Are you?
How much was your check this year, or last? Move this mess away from here. Otherwise, the citizens will rise up and vote the lazy politicians out of office and move it by force. It’s up to you guys. Are you satisfied with the status quo? Really?

By Barry

October 4, 2009 8:12 PM | Link to this

I agree with you guys who say that it’s time to move it somewhere else… (Travis County Expo Center, Tony Burger center???) The economic impact is undeniable, but I just don’t think it’s worth having the park annihilated like this for retailers to make a few bucks. It was in fantastic condition just before they closed it, and I’ll bet a lot of money that it will be closed now for 3 months MINIMUM to recover. ACL = Not Worth it anymore.

By Root system?

October 4, 2009 8:16 PM | Link to this

ACL should never be allowed to play in Zilker again. They need to move the concert out to a big country field with miles of parking and/or shuttles … just like the old Willie Nelson concerts. Our city park not be used by groups that destroy it or monopolize it.

The city should not account for who is footing the bill for all of the repair to the grounds post-ACL.

By Wes

October 4, 2009 8:47 PM | Link to this

this is some kind of sick fascist joke.

By my name is mud

October 4, 2009 8:48 PM | Link to this

I was actually at the event and the turf was very good quality.. Whatever damage that occured at this event will be repaired very easily….

By Andrea

October 4, 2009 10:45 PM | Link to this

And had it not rained all day Saturday, none of you people would have had ANYTHING to complain about. The grass held up fine to all of the traffic on Friday. The event organizers could not have predicted the rain on Saturday, and while it sucks that it will be shut down for repairs, it is NOT the end of the world. My fiance is one of the biggest soccer nuts that I know of, and he isn’t complaining one bit about a park being shut down for a few months so it could be made better for everyone who uses it in the long run. He played on other fields in the meantime, it’s not like Zilker is the only place to play in all of Austin.

Having lived in Chicago for 10+ years, I returned for Lolla this past year and was AMAZED at all the park improvements that have been done from the festival-generated revenue. It would have taken a decade to generate enough taxpayer revenue to accomplish what was done in 2-3 years. Too bad some people can’t see the big picture here.

By homeslice

October 4, 2009 11:53 PM | Link to this

Andrea, you are a tool. The “improvements” C3 made included resodding grounds that were fine in the past and installing a water-wasting sprinkler system so the park could be green when they wanted it to be green. That’s not an improvement. If the sun is hot and the grass dies, it’s better to let the grass die than waste thousands of gallons in water making sure the grass is green in October.

BTW, since you’re from Chicago you might be ignorant about this but the grass is supposed to be green here between about late February to early April.

The whole business is a wreck. They shouldn’t be having this wreck in our City park.

By John

October 5, 2009 1:58 PM | Link to this

Oh my god! This is so gross! I am leaving work right now to go soak in my bath tub with the water as hot as possible.

“Dillo DirtTM”, the dirt used in the renovation of Austin’s Zilker Park, is a compost made by the City of Austin since 1989. If you know Austin, you will not be surprised to learn that it was the first program of it’s kind in the state and one of the oldest in the nation. All yard trimmings collected curbside across the City as well as some of our treated sewage sludge are combined and composted to create Dillo DirtTM.

By ACL RULES!

October 5, 2009 6:08 PM | Link to this

Guys - this is one of the most amazing music events in the entire country bringing together an amazing group of diverse acts and concert goers for which Austin has come to be known for. Moving the festival “out to some country field” is not the answer. Having ACL at Zilker next to Barton Springs, Town Lake, and downtown is what really makes it unique. The grass will be back soon enough and I am sure if all of the yuppy Dallas transplants complain loud enough, soccer will return to Zilker.