(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Riot Fest’s venue change was the topic of discussion at Wednesday’s Chicago Park District board meeting. The venue change is also causing a Chicago women’s sports team to find a new location for their game, which is now double booked with the festival.
Hours after official word that Riot Fest was leaving Douglass Park for suburban Bridgeview this year, residents on both sides of the issue weren’t shy about their thoughts at a Chicago Park District board meeting.
Leaders at the Chicago Park District said their push for community involvement in the planning of large events is a feature, not a bug, and they make no apologies for it.
Their defense during today's Park District Board meeting follows the announcement that Riot Fest, which has been staged in Douglass Park since 2015, is moving to SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
In recent years festival organizers were faced with vocal opposition from some in the community.
“Several weeks ago, I had enough,” co-founder Mike Petryshyn wrote in a statement. “I was tired of Riot Fest continually being the lowest hanging fruit.”
Producers of what's now called "RiotLand," blamed the Park District for their actions during negotiations over a permit, but Park District Superintendent Rosa Escareno said it's not on them.
“All special event organizers.. are held to the same standards. And our requests, working through the board, to have community engagement - is a direct response to the comments that come to this board.
During the Park District Board meeting, president Myetie Hamilton said the district worked to center community members and stakeholders in their negotiations.
“Everyone’s voice matters. So as a result, it served as the catalyst for bringing about the changes that we made as a park district around large events, requiring engagement with the community.”
In a statement emailed to WBBM Newsradio, the Chicago Park District said it only learned “indirectly” that Riot Fest organizers would be leaving Douglass Park.
People also addressed the board from both sides of the issue, with some criticizing the noise and traffic, and others saying they'll miss the jobs and business the festival brings.
The move does pose some challenges for the Chicago Red Stars. The team had a game scheduled to Sept. 21 at SeatGeek Stadium. Riot Fest will take place Sept. 20 – 22.
Red Stars President Karen Leetzow decried the decision on social media Wednesday.
“It is unfair and unfortunate to have our club put in this situation, shining a light on the vast discrepancies in the treatment of women’s professional sports versus men’s professional sports,” Leetzow said in the statement. “We are committed to ensuring our players and fans have a first-rate experience on and off the pitch, and we are working diligently to find a solution that will ensure our September 21st game is a success."
The Red Stars drew an NWSL-record 35,038 fans to their most recent game, a special match Saturday against Bay FC at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The average attendance for Red Stars home games at SeatGeek this season has been 8,317.
The team has played at SeatGeek since 2016 and their contract with the stadium is up after next year. The stadium has been criticized for its distance from downtown Chicago and lack of public transportation options.
Ray Hanania, a spokesperson for Bridgeview, said the village is working with the team to find a solution. He said the stadium is part of a larger fairgrounds area, which may make it possible for both events to coexist.
“Obviously the Red Stars are very important to us and always have been and we want to do whatever we can to ensure that they're satisfied,” he said.
The lineup for Riot Fest was announced Wednesday. Headliners will include Fall Out Boy, Beck, and Slayer, and the rest of the lineup includes: The Offspring, Saint Vincent, Rob Zombie, Sublime, Spoon, Sum 41, Waxahatchee, New Found Glory, Something Corporate, Tierra Whack, Taking Back Sunday and Beach Bunny.
The full lineup can be found online.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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