oh yeah... i almost forgot

You've probably been waiting for an update on ACL Park (formerly known as Zilker park).

They have finally removed all the stages and tents etc. However, the big jail fence keeping all us wild animals out are still up.

There are plenty of green areas, but there are even more big brown expanses.

Yesterday, as I was driving by at 8am'ish, there was a tractor truck type vehicle with an attachment to it in the back that looked like some time of a tilling mechanism.   If they're filling, or trying to flip things around, that means to me that they're not even close to having the grass back in decent shape, which yet again points to my prediction of a 2010 opening.

I've been humored by reading some arguments from those for and against ACL Festival being held at the Park.  Personally, I'm all for it.  There really is no better place to have.  I just want the city to let soccer and other sports back onto the fields when ACL isn't using it.

So the thing I wanted to point out here is I humors me when those defending the event say: "You guys just need to loosen up, it's 3 days out of the year!".   Again, i'm fine with ACL being held at ACL Park, as afterall, that's it's new official name, but lets not use the argument that it's only 3 days, when (assuming perfect weather), the organizers rent the grounds for 2 to 3 weeks before the event to set and 2 weeks after the event to clean up. That's more than a month.

I also read this fascinating report on the differences between Austin and Chicago with Lollapalooza. Both events are 3 days and are very similar in size, and if I'm not mistaken, there is some type of overlap on management companies of the events.  Chicago charges Lollapalooza 10% of all proceeds to allow them to use the grounds (+ the park needs to be cleaned and returned to pre-festival condition).  The dollar amount paid to the city of Chicago is well over a million dollars.  Austin charges ACL organizers a flat fee of something like $3,000 per day for the couple of weeks leading up to the event, then a flat fee of some ridiculously small amount (when compared to Chicago). 

It's pretty apparent that the ACL organizers got a SWEET deal that they probably couldn't even believe they got away with!

On top of all that, the 2.5 million they're supposed to pay the city for the grass install, only needs to be paid as 500K per year for 5 years.  Sounds to me like, ACL organizers just need to stick 2.5 mill in the bank and then pay out a little every year, and even with a simple 5% interest, they get $125,000 in interest to help pay for this stuff.  

just fun stuff to read about...  I'll see if I can find that article that compared the two contracts.  it really made Austin's leaders look like complete business rookies.