Ultra Music Festival has issued a "call to action."
Responding to Mayor Tomás Regalado and Commissioner Marc Sarnoff's proposed ban, the EDM fest has launched a petition to "Keep UMF in Miami."
"In order to stay at Bayfront Park," Ultra writes, "we need your support now." And at the time of this posting, the fest has collected 15,565 supporter signatures of its 50,000 goal.
See also: Ultra Ban on Miami City Commission Agenda
In its own defense, the festival cites stats and figures, including "millions of attendees from throughout the world" and "an infusion of $223 million into the local economy."
But the less contrived, more convincing argument lies perhaps in UMF's value as a homegrown cultural institution:
Ultra Music Festival has been a launching pad of numerous prominent musicians' careers and uniquely showcases virtually every major genre of electronic music. Some of the world's most cosmic artists today once performed on a small stage at Ultra Music Festival. That tradition is now in peril.
The EDM fest also reaffirms its commitment to the recently announced "Comprehensive Security Review," as well as working "collaboratively with our municipal partners."
Most pointedly, though, Ultra defends festival-goers while calling out Regalado and Sarnoff for their political opportunism:
The vast majority of our attendees are law-abiding music fans that travel to Miami to enjoy our beautiful weather, diverse culture and world-class entertainment. Not unlike other large-scale sporting or entertainment events, Ultra has regrettably had to contend with a few isolated incidents. Certain local politicians have capitalized on these isolated incidents to undeservedly vilify electronic dance music, its industry and its international fan base.
The festival has already announced its 2015 and secured an agreement with the Bayfront Park Management Trust through 2018.
But all that could be moot after tomorrow's Miami City Commission vote on the ban.
Sign the petition to "Keep Ultra Music Festival in Miami" at Change.org.
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