OPINION: Do council members opposed to Zion Music Festival have a legitimate reason?

Written by Greta Hyland

Last month the citizens of Springdale crowded into town hall for a council meeting that would determine if the city of Springdale would continue to sponsor the Zion Canyon Music Festival. The Mayor supported continued sponsorship while four members of the council opposed it on grounds that there was little public support for the event based on a survey sent to town residents. After reading about it, I wasn’t convinced that the festival was a good thing for the city. With four council members opposed to funding it, I figured they must have legitimate reasons. So I called to speak to the members of the council.

Then I called again.

And I emailed.

What I got was silence.

Not one of the members who opposed the Zion Music Festival responded to my inquiries – even knowing from my emails what I wanted to know in advance. What I wanted to know was how much the festival was costing the town, did they make any money on the festival, and was the festival specifically mentioned in the survey sent out to town residents. Simple enough for town council members who were privy to this information, and from what I assumed was the grounds for their opposition.

For whatever reason, they have chosen not to respond. But the problem with silence is that it gives one time to speculate, guess, and fill in the gaps with their own imagination. And whether those council members like it or not, their silence speaks volumes more than an answer would. Sometimes silence is not golden. While I am still not convinced that paying for the festival is in the best interests of the residents of Springdale, I am now not convinced those opposed to it have a good reason for their opposition.

Since I am not a resident of Springdale, I was not privy to the questions on the survey, but whether or not the festival was mentioned seemed rather pertinent in my mind and I wanted an answer. Luckily for me, not everyone I attempted to contact chose to shine me on. Springdale Mayor, Stan Smith replied to my emails and supplied some answers.

He told me the festival cost $37,252 and that it doesn’t include staff time of about $15,000 which could be allocated to the festival.  It also doesn’t include in-kind contributions which reduced the town’s cash expenditures. Profits received by Spingdale after over-head costs was $179.

Now, I don’t know how much it costs cities to host festivals and events on average, but I do know that it does cost something.  And we all know that you have to spend money to make money. Anything that loses money is certainly not going to last – unless those running the city deem the event worth it. For example, it may add to the town’s allure, make residents happy, or draw visitors who will not just spend money, but return for future events. Either way, $37,252 doesn’t seem like much. Neither is $179 in profits – but at least they are covering their costs right?

So what about my question regarding that survey? Was the festival listed? According to the mayor, the Zion Music Festival was not listed specifically, but festivals in general were. He said that 51 percent of respondents were in favor of festivals. It’s not an overwhelming majority, but it is a majority none-the-less. Remember Proposition 3, the Recreation, Arts, and Parks tax that passed in the November election by the same margin? It doesn’t take much.

So, with all that said, why do the four council members really oppose the festival? According to the survey, the majority of residents do support festivals and even if profits are slim, at least they aren’t losing money. What is it…really? I’d like to know. Not because I have a big stake in the festival, but because it raises questions – and I’m curious.

Back to that silence and filling in the gaps with my own imagination thing, I hope it’s not as silly as council members not liking the alcohol and “riffraff” that attends the festival, that it doesn’t represent an image of Springdale they are trying to portray, or some other supercilious reason. If 51 percent of the residents support festivals, then it behooves the local politicians to oblige them – or at least give a legitimate reason for opposing it. Perhaps they will explain their reasons when the issue is revisited next year.

Related Story: Springdale citizens gather to decide fate of Music Festival

Greta Hyland has a Masters degree in Environmental Policy & Management and has worked for the BLM and the NPS as well as for non-profit organizations. She is a regular contributor to the Utah Adventure Journal and is the Copy Editor at the Independent. She writes regularly on her blog about environmental policy issues affecting the southwest, as well as personal narratives about outdoor recreation and simple living. Her blog can be found at www.thesouthwestjournal.wordpress.com  A Utah native, Greta is a consummate desert rat and loves exploring the southwest. She can be reached at [email protected].