Fyre Fest 2? Transit Nightmare Strands Thousands Of Partygoers In Miami
In Miami, the future of Ultra Music Festival could be in jeopardy following poor planning and a traffic nightmare. Close to half of the 80,000 partygoers in attendance had to walk several miles back to their hotel rooms in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Ultra is a 20-year-old, weekend-long dance party that grew into a key economic driver, but now it is being likened to the notorious Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, an event so disastrous it spawned two documentaries and criminal proceedings.
When Ultra started in Miami in 1999, it was a concert that capitalized on a dance-music industry event, the Winter Music Conference, which consisted of hotel-ballroom discussion panels about breaking into the music business. But, this being Miami, the party soon eclipsed the conference and became the main draw.
Over the years, attendees overdosed on drugs, tore down security fences, died and/or annoyed neighbors who lived in condos near the event site — which for many years, was Miami's Bayfront Park, in the city's downtown.
But organizers always had a powerful retort for complainers: the festival has an estimated $79M economic impact and fills up thousands of hotel rooms.
Over the past few years, though, many condos have been added to Miami's downtown —the downtown population rose 65% between 2000 and 2010, and a Zaha Hadid building with units starting at $5.85M is going up right across from Bayfront Park. City commissioners forbade Ultra from returning there in 2019.
The organizers proposed it instead be held on Key Biscayne, a 1.3-square-mile barrier island. Residents objected — Key Biscayne has state and county parks with nature reserves — and the island can only be reached by one road in and out, or by boat, though Miami has no major ferry service.
Regardless, permission was given. Officials planned to get concertgoers in and out on a fleet of 55-person shuttle buses. A limited ferry service was set up for people paying $150 extra.
As of this weekend, the environmental cost has yet to be calculated, but so far, we know it was a fire and a traffic nightmare. A tree caught fire, possibly because of fireworks, and with hours-long waits for the shuttle buses, thousands of people walked off Key Biscayne on foot, jamming traffic even further.
No deaths were reported; the famous Love Parade rave in Germany ended a 21-year run in 2010 after 21 people died during a crowd stampede.
On Saturday, organizers scrambled to hold a press conference and assure ticket-holders that things would be better the second night, but a tide of negativity was already rolling on social media.
It remains to be seen whether the tourism industry will again come to Ultra's defense or whether this will inspire any improvements to Miami's horrid public transit situation. This being Miami, probably not.
Here's a selection of commentary:
Tens of thousands of people leaving @Ultra to walk 3 miles across a bridge (blocking traffic) because it was the only realistic option. Cabs weren't running, uber was restricted, and shuttle lines were hours long. Terrible planning! An embarrassment. #ultra2019 #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/vjoC6fFOd5
— Tidoublemy (@Tidoublemy8) March 30, 2019
.@ultra 2019 or Fyre Fest 2.0?
— Branden Williams (@BWilliams_38) March 30, 2019
Only one way off this island at 2am w/ zero transportation. 80k+ people stranded. #Ultra2019 pic.twitter.com/DY5q3ozZJj
