Music Might Rescue San Francisco Parks
Outside Lands shows it can be done
Karl Walter/Getty Images
Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Steve Ferrone perform during the Outside Lands festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco in 2008. This year's festival features Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Black Eyed Peas, Jason Mraz, Beastie Boys, M.I.A., Q-Tip, and a huge list of other artists.
San Francisco may soon start renting out its parks for more music festivals.
The City's recreation and parks department may rent out a group of city parks including McLaren Park, Dolores Park, Ferry Plaza and Stern Grove to the highest bidder. All of those parks have held free concerts in the past.
The idea comes after negotiations were made for the Outside Lands music festival, which takes place in a portion of Golden Gate Park. The City will rent out part of the park for the three-day event Aug. 28-30 in a deal that could be the first of many to come. The three-year contract for Outside Lands will bring the City $2.85 million.
Officials say they already have a list of qualified promoters from their search to lease space for the Golden Gate Park festival. Those promoters will be contacted to see if they're still interested in renting park space, Parks and Recreation Department spokeswoman Lisa Seitz Gruwell told the Examiner.
The department says it needs the revenue.
It has already had to eliminate 80 positions this year to help close its budget gap.
Posted Friday, Jul 17, 2009 - 12:15 PM PST
