A concert promoter who wants to host a two-day music festival in Playfair Park next summer and for the next eight years, with as many as 20,000 people attending each day, came back before a Missoula City Council committee on Wednesday to make another pitch.
But after hours of debate and public comment, the committee voted 7-4 against recommending that the mayor sign a contract with Scott Osburn and his company, Always On LLC, to host the festival.
City officials say he’s addressed their concerns, but skeptics remain and some neighbors urged the city to not sign a contract.
The proposed layout of the concert. The stage would be near Splash Montana.
Scott Osburn said he wants to host a “family-friendly” concert in the park on a weekend in early July, with the shows ending at 10 p.m. each night (Friday and Saturday), and said he’s been trying hard to allay concerns from community members in the neighborhood. He admitted his first presentation to the city council late last month caused quite a stir.
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“I acknowledge that last meeting to council did not provide enough information to council,” he said. “I apologize and recognize that has led to over 10 days of frustration and, very frankly, anxiety in the community and a misunderstanding of what our time and effort is hoping to yield.”
Shirley Kinsey, the associate director of Missoula Parks and Recreation, said the event would be a boon to the business community in Missoula. She said the Parks Department issues permits for hundreds of events every year, but this one requires city council approval because of its size.
“Many of these events are important to our local economy and frankly they’re a part of our community and culture and the fabric of our community,” she said.
Since his first meeting with city council, Kinsey said Osburn held a community forum at City Life Center. She also noted that Osburn met with the Missoula Police Department and the Missoula Fire Department, and the chiefs of both departments sent letters to the city council saying Osburn had addressed their initial concerns and seemed to be well prepared to host a large event.
“Fire was genuinely impressed by the presentation and detailed logistics of the proposed event,” said fire chief Gordy Hughes in his letter to council.
Kinsey said the Parks Department is confident they could get the turf back into working order shortly after the event, noting they have turf experts on staff.
Osburn said he looked at Fort Missoula Regional Park, Fort Missoula and other parks near downtown and still believes Playfair is the only park that suits what he’s trying to accomplish.
He said he doesn’t have any “backup” sites because Playfair is the only one that “checks all the boxes.”
He also said he’s asking for an eight-year contract because these types of festivals can lose money in the first year or two to make sure they don’t have problems.
Osburn pointed out that no tax dollars will support the festival and that he’s solely responsible for the cost of any turf and infrastructure repairs. Due to contracts he’s proposing, he said the estimated financial benefit to the Parks Department will be $700,000 to $1.1 million over eight years.
Parks Department Director Donna Gaukler said the fees would go to pay for improvements to the park or other parks, but those would have to be approved by city council.
Osburn said he felt he’s had positive conversations with user groups, including sand volleyball players and local Little League baseball organizations.
City council member Mike Nugent said he got a letter recently from a Little League association expressing strong concerns about turf damage and displacement of teams.
“I have a full understanding of the existential threat this brings to Little League,” Osburn said, noting he’s tried to allay any fears by saying he’ll try to mitigate any damage with coverings and promptly make necessary repairs.
Several community members got up to voice their objection to the proposal Wednesday. The city council also got emails from concerned neighbors.
Kathleen Hanson wrote a letter saying she lives with her husband and young children three blocks from the park.
“I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed music festival at Playfair Park,” Hanson wrote. “Playfair Park was designed as a neighborhood park, not a multi-day music venue. My greatest concern is the potential negative impacts to the fields and other resources that are planned to be used or shut down during the duration of the festival.”
Hanson was also concerned that if there is damage to grass or infrastructure warranting repair, it could be weeks or months before all usability of the park area is restored.
“I am also concerned about the certain impact to our home and neighborhood with 10,000 (to) 20,000 festival goers projected to attend the event,” Hanson added.
She also was deeply disappointed by the poor outreach efforts conducted by Osburn.
“As a member of the Lewis and Clark Neighborhood Council I only learned of this proposed event on November 1st from concerned neighbors who felt it had been sprung on them in the eleventh hour,” Hanson wrote. “I share those feelings.”
Council member Mirtha Becerra wanted to know how much tickets would cost.
Osburn said a single-day ticket for general admission would be anywhere from $70 to $120 per day, but prices haven’t been determined yet.
City council member Sandra Vasecka said she’s heard from many constituents who want to know whether it will be legal for people to bring guns to the festival because it’s on public land.
Parks director Gaukler said her staff will research the issue, but she thinks the promoter will be able to ban guns.
At the end of the meeting, several members of council said Osburn was professional in his dealings with the city but that too many constituents were against the concert.
David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian.
