Could coronavirus stop Ultra? Miami officials examining safety plans, daily updates
On the same day federal health officials confirmed that two Florida residents had tested positive for coronavirus, questions arose about a major international event scheduled to open in Miami in fewer than three weeks: Ultra Music Festival.
In a Monday press conference where Miami Mayor Francis Suarez spoke about the city’s preparations for coronavirus, the mayor said city administrators have asked organizers of the three-day electronic dance music festival to update the event’s safety and security plan to consider the possibility of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus, spreading in South Florida.
The mayor said it was too early to speculate over whether the event might be canceled, but depending on the spread of the virus both in the U.S. and abroad, the question could become more urgent in the coming days. Public health and government officials might have to consider whether downtown Miami should host a festival with a capacity of 55,000 people per day, with a significant portion of the crowd made up of visitors from more than 100 countries.
“We’re monitoring on a day-to-day basis,” Suarez told reporters. “Right now, we don’t have any cases in the city or in the county, but what makes Ultra different is that it is an event that brings people from across the world.”
Ultra is scheduled to open March 20 at Bayfront Park, the public space on Miami’s downtown waterfront. The festival is set to return to the bayfront after a problematic event on Virginia Key in 2019. In 2018, the festival had been kicked out of Bayfront Park when commissioners rejected a new contract. All along the way, political feuding, residents’ complaints and the event’s economic impact fueled a debate over whether the concert should be staged in any of the city’s public spaces.
Under the revocable licensing agreement between the city and Ultra, organizers must provide a safety and security plan before the festival opens. The agreement states that the city is entitled to see any updated plan within 24 hours of requesting it.
City Manager Art Noriega, who is in his second week as the city’s top administrative officer, told the Miami Herald that if the city is not satisfied with Ultra’s plans, administrators could pull the plug. Other factors, including advice from the Florida Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would play a role in such a decision. Airport protocols and travel advisories or prohibitions enacted by the federal government can also come into play.
“Unfortunately, it’s an ever-evolving situation,” Noriega said.
Ultra representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
On Feb. 27, a spokesman said festival organizers plan to have extra hand-sanitizing stations and to promote health tips related to coronavirus to concertgoers. As of late last week, there were “no plans to cancel, postpone, move or scale down” the festival, according to a statement.
Festival representatives are expected to meet with county and city officials to discuss coronavirus.
Commissioner Ken Russell, whose district includes downtown, told the Herald his office has begun to receive emails and phone calls from concerned residents who wonder if Ultra is still going on. He said people are right to be vigilant, adding that he wants the city to be prepared without prematurely projecting panic.
“We have to find a balance between being proactive, taking precautions, and still allowing Miami’s business to continue,” Russell said.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 4:25 PM.
