Goldenvoice, the company behind major music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach, has proposed a plan “to hold up to five annual events for eighteen years,” as reported by The Desert Sun. All five of the events would take place in Indio, California in a desert just east of Los Angeles.
For the past 12 years, Goldenvoice has been the promoter for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Earlier this year, Goldenvoice made headlines nationwide when an Indio councilman proposed an amusement tax for the festivals. The proposal was short-lived, and the city plans to work with the company to create a long-term agreement.
Goldenvoice explained that they hope to enlarge the festival grounds to hold a capacity of approximately 99,000 people. Last year, the grounds used were 535 acres, but they hope to expand the location to 601 acres by next spring. Currently, the two weekends of Coachella host identical line-ups, allowing more guests to have the opportunity to attend.
Of the 5 proposed festivals per year, the two weekends of Coachella followed by a weekend of the country music festival Stagecoach, would take place during consecutive weekends in the spring. The remaining two festivals would take place in the fall, however Goldenvoice has not yet released information on any in-depth plans for what the fall festivals will showcase.
The city of Indio, California has planned a meeting for September 18 to further discuss Goldenvoice’s proposal. The meeting will focus on the environmental impact for the city, and the pros and cons of the proposed increase of weekends and attendance size.
Earlier this year, Indio mayor Glenn Miller told L.A. Times, “I’ve asked (Goldenvoice) as the mayor to work together with Empire Polo Club and the Eldorado Polo Club to promote more concerts… maybe not concerts as big as Coachella or Stagecoach, but a Latin concert, as we have a large Hispanic community out here, or maybe a jazz and blues event.”
Coachella 2013 is planned for the weekend of April 12 and April 19 but the line-up has not yet been announced. Tickets for the full weekend will be priced at $349 and will be on sale early next year.
Last year, the two weekends of Coachella grossed $47.3 million and tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale. According to Pollstar, this is the largest amount recorded at a single concert event. Past Coachella headliners have included: Kanye West, The Crooked Vultures, Jay Z, Kings of Leon, Mumford and Sons, Duran Duran, and Jimmy Eat World.
Goldenvoice is working to increase the presence of these festivals in any way possible, and has been wildly successful thus far. In December, the Coachella brand will be setting sale on the S.S. Coachella for two 3-day long music festivals on the sea. December 16 through 19 the boat will be sailing to the Bahamas, followed by Jamaica December 19 through 23. The line up includes artists such as: Pulp, Hot Chip, Girl Talk and Sleigh Bells. Reservations for staterooms on the cruise are still available.
