A local politician said New York City should ban the annual charity concert in Central Park after last year's festivities caused more than $620,000 worth of damage to green space.
City Councilor Gail Brewer is not feeling the excitement of the Global Citizen Festival and told organizers of the one-day event on the park's Great Lawn that she will no longer be welcome due to annual damage and closures. They're asking Mayor Eric Adams to tell them.
Brewer wrote in a letter to Adams on Thursday that the event “constantly disrupted the flow of people and caused noise pollution” and shut down large portions of the park for several days.
On September 22, the Great Lawn was closed in preparation for this year's event, a full week before the star-studded free concert, which drew 60,000 attendees this year despite rainy weather.
The park was scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, but remained closed Friday as the park assessed damage from the event, according to the Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit group that manages the park.
“With the closure of the Great Lawn from September 22nd to date, New Yorkers and visitors are no longer able to enjoy this space.” Brewer wrote A look at the free festival. “As this is once again a one-day event, it will be closed for almost two weeks to accommodate heavy equipment, barricades and the installation of a large stage.”
Saturday's rain-soaked concert featured performances by rappers Post Malone and Jelly Roll, pop star Doja Cat, reggaeton artist Lau Alejandro, South Korean girl group BLACKPINK and more, and will be part of the 2023 festival's lineup. It was held about a year later in a muddy mosh pit. Damages to the park totaled $622,000.
According to one report, the festival's board of directors stepped in to cover itemized bills, mostly paid in exchange for lawn removal. patch report.
However, the newspaper noted that an independent turfgrass expert concluded that only 15,000 square feet of turfgrass was worth replacing, not the 300,000 square feet of turfgrass claimed by the Central Park Conservancy. .
Records show that since 2018, claims for “failure to fulfill restitution obligations” have ranged from $4,300 to $70,901.
After last year's problems, conservation groups He said he would work with the New York City Parks Department. If a major event is held during inclement weather, plan to minimize damage.
This included “when and how” the city would cancel all events, even though Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and others urged organizers to cancel the festival due to rainy weather. This year's festival was held on Saturday.
A festival spokesperson told the Post that this year's damage is expected to be “minimal and not unlike last year,” adding that the festival always compensates for damage caused to the park.
A park representative also told the newspaper that the rain was “less compared to last year.”
“We have taken several steps to protect our lawns this year, including adding bedding, pre-seeding and conditioning, sealing off vulnerable areas and working with our partners at Central Park Conservancy to develop an updated weather management plan. We have taken additional precautions,” a park spokesperson said. .
As a result of damage from last year's deluge, the lawn was closed for seven months after the festival, Brewer said. However, the site is typically closed from November to April for routine maintenance.
“I have never been a fan of the Global Citizen Festival because very few, if any, grants are allocated to nonprofit organizations in New York City,” Brewer wrote in a letter to the mayor Thursday. mentioned in. “We strongly urge the Global Citizen Festival to be held at a venue other than Central Park, such as an arena or stadium.”
The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Brewer's call to move the festival.
Adams ruled out a move in a 2023 press conference, so it's unlikely the festival will find a new home anytime soon.
“We don't want to damage the Great Lawn, but we don't want to damage the grass in Prospect Park. We don't want to damage the grass anywhere,” Adams said at the time. “Parks belong to the people, we should all share in their use, and no park is better than another.”
