SANTA FE, NM (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Residents near The Downs at Santa Fe, a former horse track that closed in 1997, voiced their concerns about a three-day music festival planned for August 10-12 and the problems it could bring to their community.
Promoter Shaun Parrish and Santa Fe land-use staff answered questions about crowd control, drunken drivers, noise and light pollution, as well as the future of the abandoned track, at the town community center last week, according to the Free New Mexican.
Parrish obtained a special event permit to hold the Santa Fe Muzik Fest, and told the residents he wants to redevelop The Downs and hold other events there, including the Rodeo de Santa Fe and Santa Fe’s 400th anniversary celebration.
One major condition set forth by the town to ensure the future use of the track is for a portion of the profits to be used to remediate a manure pile on the property that has kept the venue’s owners, Pojoaque Pueblo, from receiving master-plan approval for the land for years.
When asked for additional long-term plans for the venue, Parrish mentioned additional concerts and events each year, and said he might be interested in developing an organic farm on a portion of the property closest to residential areas but he has been too busy to formally pursue the idea.
“I didn’t show up to have a party,” Parrish told the paper. “I want to revitalize The Downs, and I needed something to make some money so I can do that.”
The Santa Fe Muzik Fest will be the facility’s first concert since Carlos Santana in 1994. The venue has also hosted the H.O.R.D.E. festival and the Grateful Dead.
Approximately 2000 tickets have already been sold for the August festival, which will include 106 acts, artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Burning Spear, Citizen Cope, George Clinton, Everclear, and War. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
