How To Fight Ultra: Pack the Chamber

HEADED OUR WAY? - The Ultra Music Festival is negotiating to move to Virginia Key for the next concert in March 2019.

It’s happened again. The City of Miami is poised to create massive problems for our community by moving to relocate the Ultra Music Festival to Virginia Key in March, after it was kicked out of downtown. 

We have a short window - a very short window — to PACK THE CHAMBER at Miami City Hall and tell them Key Biscayne says “No.” And we must be ready with an aggressive public campaign. Time is of the essence because this will come before the Miami City Commission on November 15. 

Let me be clear: this is not a sudden development. It seems clear this was planned behind the scenes for months. Proponents of moving Ultra counted their votes -  and they want to keep counting the cash that Ultra pays.

What can we do? Many will look to legal options, and they may be necessary — but what happens in the next two weeks is more important. 

First, we have to mount a MASSIVE communications campaign to PACK THE CHAMBER. We have to show the commission that this event is bad policy, not just for us, but for our neighbors as well. 

1. We should find common ground with Brickell and Fisher island residents who very well would still hear the noise from Ultra. We should look for allies in the environmental community as well. 

2. We should stress the load on emergency services that would be even more challenging due to the location. The marine stadium/park area doesn’t have the logistics to handle this event. It’s a life safety issue.

3. We should insist that the City and the County join us in proper management of Virginia Key, under the master plan, with events that still bring revenue but without the same level of problems. 

Whatever we do, we must be united: Key Biscayne has to speak with one clear, consistent, and compelling voice. And we have to make this decision now because the city’s  timing is so aggressive.

For that reason the current council should call a special meeting asap — you will be doing the next council a favor by doing so.