Controlling private profit in the public parks
Concerts in Golden Gate Park are fun. They bring energy and excitement to the city, help the local economy, and are part of a long tradition of music in San Francisco.
But over the years, they have shifted from free events like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to big, expensive, elite shows that cost thousands of dollars to attend, lock out the average music fan, and block off large parts of the park to the community.
This is all part of the move under former Rec-Park Director Phil Ginsburg to turn the parks into cash registers, seeking to privatize and cash in on what is by definition a public asset.
A group of advocates called SaveSFParks is organizing to restore some balance to Golden Gate Park—not to ban concerts or events but to make sure that private interests aren't getting priority on public space.
From the group's statement:
"Before approving more large-scale concerts, the City must commission a comprehensive, independent study of their impacts on safety, access, small businesses and the environment. We need transparency, accountability and community oversight, not piecemeal approvals that prioritize corporate profits over public good.
San Francisco already has models for inclusive events that uplift rather than exclude. Free community gatherings like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and Flower Piano demonstrate how music can bring people together without walling others out. But when private, ticketed events fence off our parks for weeks, the public loses.
San Francisco's parks have always been free and open because our public dollars make them that way. They are not commodities for rent. Golden Gate Park is a jewel of San Francisco. Let's make sure it stays open and accessible for generations to come."
The group specifically called out Another Planet Entertainment, which oversaw the Dead and Co. concert:
"According to the San Francisco Fire Department, city EMTs and paramedics were not utilized during the three music festivals in Golden Gate Park this year. Instead, Another Planet Entertainment contracted with a private ambulance service. Concertgoers reported passing out from crowding, with some departing areas altogether because they feared for their safety. Public safety in San Francisco's largest park should not be handed over to private companies with limited accountability."
APE is also under fire for the way it's transformed the Castro Theater, creating a concert space at the cost, some say, of a landmark movie palace.
I'm all for live music, and parties, and big concerts that bring people together, and the price of living in a big city is that sometimes it's going to be noisy. But if you're using public space, the primary goal should be public access, not private profit.
With the monopoly control of ticket sales (remember when the Justice Department cared about these things?) and the crazy aftermarket sites, the average music fan is getting cut out of so many large events these days. San Francisco shouldn't be a part of that.
