Goldenvoice threatens to move Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals from Indio

[Mr. Fuzz]

Goldenvoice is a huge entity with a similarly sized impact on the local community.

Especially the communities infrastructure.

[Mr. Fuzz]

My guess is that Goldenvoice is not negotiating on this issue because they either a) want to totally marginalize the tax effort politically, and they feel that they have the maximum leverage to do so, or b) are actually using this as an excuse to execute long-gestating plans move out Indio anyway, which, according to those leaked text messages, seems like a real possibility.

Or because they'd like to blow the extra 6 milli while laying naked on a beach in Ibiza.

[Sexecutioner]

yea it sounds like they were already going to move and this tax just gave them a reason to do so sooner rather than later.

[thestripe]

Or because they'd like to blow the extra 6 milli while laying naked on a beach in Ibiza.

You do realize that the tax is on consumers, right?

[Mr. Fuzz]

I would be pleased if one new library, museum, park, or fire station was built with this money. Or better yet, what if, just a little bit of this money, went to employing a dozen more firemen or teachers.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

You do realize that the tax is on consumers, right?

No, the tax was not on consumers. It would have been a tax for every ticket sold, and GV MIGHT have passed that on to consumers, but the city would have way to tax transactions made outside of the city.

[Mr. Fuzz]

You do realize that the tax is on consumers, right?

..."Tollett calculated the tax would be about $36 per ticket, which he said he would not pass on to festival-goers. It would therefore cost the promoters $4 million to $6 million."

[thestripe]

Ok, got it. Just the amount it cost for a headliner. Perfect.

[captncrzy]

Stop feeding the troll.

[CrimesceneCookie]

It sounds like Sam Torres intends on being a permanent thorn in GV's side.
Why negotiate for a crappy deal with a guy who no one would want to do business with, when they could start from scratch in a city that wants them and gives them incentives?

[GuyInTucson]

Goldenvoice is a huge entity with a similarly sized impact on the local community. The responsible thing to do would be to negotiate, not play chicken with the local government. If Torres' answer to his constituents was "shut the fuck up and take it" he would be a terrible representative.

He will also be viewed as a terrible representative if people believe he is the sole reason Indio loses out on all the money the three weekends of festivals bring to the local economy. He picked his battle poorly here. He had little foresight when pursuing this tax proposal.

Perhaps Goldenvoice doesn't want to negotiate with a community that has tried to strong arm them in the past on multiple issues because they have no real intentions of staying anyway, but that doesn't mean Torres made a smart move with his proposal.

[HotHamWater]

Surely it's possible that neither party is handling this all that well.

[menikmati]

So funny how Torres wants us festival goers to pay more money to attend, yet he doesn't pay shit and instead receives free VIP passes each year. Fuck him.

[JustSteve]

Goldenvoice is a huge entity with a similarly sized impact on the local community. The responsible thing to do would be to negotiate, not play chicken with the local government. If Torres' answer to his constituents was "shut the fuck up and take it" he would be a terrible representative.

but what if they have already found a piece of land they can control free and clear somewhere in the area, somewhere not within the limits of a city and the bureaucracy that comes with it? it could be very exciting times if an opportunity like that came along for goldenvoice.

[xuclarockerx]

Surely it's possible that neither party is handling this all that well.

probably the best post in here

[Mugwog]

Everyone who has been going to Coachella/following it for a minute has seen this before, we've seen minor increases from the city and didn't La Quinta try to pull some random tax last year? I feel like no matter what, a governing body, whether local, state or federal, will find a way extort the most money from any successful entrepreneurs. My first year in 2004, that town was a dirt clump with a few spread out gated communities. Now that shit looks like Laguna Niguel in Orange County. No matter what, in the end, we will pay whatever increase is asked of Goldenvoice. Even though they may state, "oh yeah, we won't charge teh fans, cuz its aboutz the fanz!" They will probably spend less on their budget for the following years, smaller pay offs for bands, more PLUR related acts, owning more local homes in the area provides them with free lodging for performers and crew. Craigslist provides them with security. No matter what, we will pay for the rich, as we are the poor. God Bless Coachella.

[suprefan]

probably the best post in here

handling it better than you handle Woodystock.

[sonofhal]

Surely it's possible that neither party is handling this all that well.

There are two sides to the story? No way!

[SFTekbear]

http://isun.blogs.mydesert.com/2012/...a-controversy/

Straight from the people who wrote the article. This is a ballot measure that the majority of the citizens of Indio do not want. The motivation for getting it on the ballot is purely that of a single politican who is looking to make a name for himself.

[PotVsKtl]

Well then it won't pass, will it?

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

There are two sides to the story? No way!

[kroqken]

So funny how Torres wants us festival goers to pay more money to attend, yet he doesn't pay shit and instead receives free VIP passes each year. Fuck him.

Can a registered voter in Indio PLEASE launch a recall campaign against Torres. It worked on the Gray Davis campaign. Lets start a RECALL TORRES campaign. Maybe someone can also create a recalltorres.com website.

[Miroir Noir]

Cruz Bustamante for Indio City Council. No on recall, yes on Bustamante!

[CrimesceneCookie]

Well then it won't pass, will it?

So you're saying Sam Torres is wasting everyone's time and money?

[Mugwog]

Instead of recalling him, demote him to official tamale festival curator and that's it

[HotHamWater]

Can a registered voter in Indio PLEASE launch a recall campaign against Torres. It worked on the Gray Davis campaign. Lets start a RECALL TORRES campaign. Maybe someone can also create a recalltorres.com website.

Maybe you should create the web site, you lazy sack of shit.

[SoulDischarge]

It's difficult staying relevant on a library computer.

[kroqken]

Maybe you should create the web site, you lazy sack of shit.

I live in Los Angeles. I cannot vote in the city of Indio. A registered voter in INDIO should create the website AND start a petition drive to recall Torres. I am far from lazy, I have been involved in politics for may years, but a campaign against Torres would be more effective if done from a local activist in Indio, not a carpetbagger from L.A.

[TomAz]

Goldenvoice is a huge entity with a similarly sized impact on the local community. The responsible thing to do would be to negotiate, not play chicken with the local government.

From what I'd read that's exactly what they had been doing. Negotiating, and then some dickwad comes along and wants a seat at the table and proposes an unreasonable tax just to create some leverage. GV responded by creating some leverage of their own.

Attempting to pass moral judgment on business negotiations is futile. Who gives a shit who's right and who's wrong.

[SFTekbear]

So you're saying Sam Torres is wasting everyone's time and money?

Yes. You might also be surprised to find out that the Black Eyes Peas use Autotune.