During a meeting by the Miami City Commission of Planning and Zoning today, a unanimous vote was made to deny the contract for Ultra Music Festival to remain at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.
Ultra Music Festival will not be held at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami in 2019.
Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami has been home to Ultra Music Festival since the event’s third year in 2001. The festival has continued to bring hundreds of the top artists in dance music and alternative to Bayfront Park for nearly two decades. These artists include Tiësto, Underworld, Justice, Paul van Dyk, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, MSTRKRFT, deadmau5, Annie Mac, Eric Prydz, Ferry Corsten, Calvin Harris, Moby, The Crystal Method, Boys Noize, Benny Benassi, Armand van Helden, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, DJ Snake, Hardwell, and many more.
Alternative venues in Miami for a festival of this size are few and far between. Miami Beach and Key Biscayne are both far too small. It would also be a huge shock if they tried to host it at the Dolphins stadium.
The meeting lasted well over an hour. During discussions, representatives on the council were arguing while reps for Ultra made their case, and even offered a one-year deal to the city of Miami.
The contract need a four-fifths approval to pass, meaning any more than one ‘no’ vote would reject the contract. Every council member voted unanimously to shoot down the contract in its current form.
According to Miami Herald reporter Joey Flechas on the scene, an Ultra rep “still believes festival could offer a contract that would satisfy neighbors and commissioners. Seemed optimistic that a contract could get hammered out for a March 2019 festival. Neighbors aren’t buying it right now. They say it’s unlikely.”
We’ve reached out to representatives for Ultra for comment.
This is a developing story…
#BREAKING: Miami commission unanimously votes down contract for Ultra Music Festival to stay in Bayfront Park downtown. Ultra will not return to Bayfront Park in March 2019.
— Joey Flechas (@joeflech) September 27, 2018
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