Logistics of Jay-Z festival on the Parkway

**rocknroller** · 05-14-2012, 03:01 PM

I'm really curious on how the city intends to pull this off. Unlike other major concerts we've had on the Parkway, this one will not be free. I really don't see how they can keep thousands of people without tickets out of the area. Also, for those of us living blocks from the Museum/Parkway area, traffic and parking is going to be a nightmare. I remember for Live 8, the police were checking ID's of drivers and only locals were allowed past certain checkpoints. I assume they'll do the same with this. Were any neighborhood groups consulted about this event? It sounds as if we're in for a royal pain in the ass.

**6enny** · 05-14-2012, 03:22 PM

Is it on the Parkway, or in the park? Why don't they just use Dell East?

**BarryG** · 05-14-2012, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by 6enny

Is it on the Parkway, or in the park? Why don't they just use Dell East?

How would you set up three stages at the Dell East? And transportation is rough out there too.

**Jake** · 05-14-2012, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by rocknroller

I'm really curious on how the city intends to pull this off. Unlike other major concerts we've had on the Parkway, this one will not be free. I really don't see how they can keep thousands of people without tickets out of the area. Also, for those of us living blocks from the Museum/Parkway area, traffic and parking is going to be a nightmare. I remember for Live 8, the police were checking ID's of drivers and only locals were allowed past certain checkpoints. I assume they'll do the same with this. Were any neighborhood groups consulted about this event? It sounds as if we're in for a royal pain in the ass.

gus the puppy is working security

**BenDee** · 05-14-2012, 03:52 PM

I was up in the air about heading out of town Labor Day weekend - this event makes the decision easy. Now to figure out where to go...

**Big Irish** · 05-14-2012, 04:10 PM

3 stages on the parkway? So they're going to close off the Parkway, erect fencing around the whole thing, police the fencing, and police the crowds both inside & outside the fencing?

Yeah, I don't forsee any problems.

**Voodoo** · 05-14-2012, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by rocknroller

I'm really curious on how the city intends to pull this off. Unlike other major concerts we've had on the Parkway, this one will not be free. I really don't see how they can keep thousands of people without tickets out of the area. Also, for those of us living blocks from the Museum/Parkway area, traffic and parking is going to be a nightmare. I remember for Live 8, the police were checking ID's of drivers and only locals were allowed past certain checkpoints. I assume they'll do the same with this. Were any neighborhood groups consulted about this event? It sounds as if we're in for a royal pain in the ass.

The city has plenty of experience handling the logistics for major parkway events. A 'pay' event will a little different, but not that different. As you stated, there could be a potential problem with gatecrashers. I'm guessing they'll be a large perimeter to protect. Concert organizers and the PPD need to be prepared for a freeloading zombie hoard. I think a few aerial drones with tazers should suffice. (kidding about drones & tazers)

And if this was the first parkway event, nearby neighborhood groups should be consulted. But we've been doing this for decades and neighborhood groups have better things to do with their time.

**ShoshTrvls** · 05-14-2012, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Voodoo

The city has plenty of experience handling the logistics for major parkway events. A 'pay' event will a little different, but not that different. As you stated, there could be a potential problem with gatecrashers. I'm guessing they'll be a large perimeter to protect. Concert organizers and the PPD need to be prepared for a freeloading zombie hoard. I think a few aerial drones with tazers should suffice. (kidding about drones & tazers)

And if this was the first parkway event, nearby neighborhood groups should be consulted. But we've been doing this for decades and neighborhood groups have better things to do with their time.

I think it is a much bigger issue. Tourists -- who may have planned their visit months ago -- want to see the PMA and the Barnes and the Franklin Institute. Yes, we can go the following week, or the week before, but they can't. And residents have traditionally jammed the Schuykill River Park and the walkways on Kelly and MLK on Labor Day Weekend while the new Sister Cities Park is the latest destination on the Parkway. Are the museums going to close? Bikes confiscated at Boathouse Row?

Don't get me wrong; I love that we're getting a new signature attraction. But it belongs in the park -- use Dell East, Mann Center, or set up temporary stages anywhere inside Fairmount Park. But fencing off the parkway on a summer holiday weekend just seems insane.

**#1MetsFan** · 05-14-2012, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

I think it is a much bigger issue. Tourists -- who may have planned their visit months ago -- want to see the PMA and the Barnes and the Franklin Institute. Yes, we can go the following week, or the week before, but they can't. And residents have traditionally jammed the Schuykill River Park and the walkways on Kelly and MLK on Labor Day Weekend while the new Sister Cities Park is the latest destination on the Parkway. Are the museums going to close? Bikes confiscated at Boathouse Row?

Don't get me wrong; I love that we're getting a new signature attraction. But it belongs in the park -- use Dell East, Mann Center, or set up temporary stages anywhere inside Fairmount Park. But fencing off the parkway on a summer holiday weekend just seems insane.

Oh, please. This will be just like Live 8, only the City has more time to plan.

They'll put a fence around the "pay" area, and those without tickets will be able to see and hear from outside the fence.

**raider.adam** · 05-14-2012, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

Don't get me wrong; I love that we're getting a new signature attraction. But it belongs in the park -- use Dell East, Mann Center, or set up temporary stages anywhere inside Fairmount Park. But fencing off the parkway on a summer holiday weekend just seems insane.

That's what I was initially thinking.

Hmm. What if they appropriated a bunch of the parking lots down at the stadiums. Only one sport will be going on at the time, right? They already have fences and chokepoints for entry.

**eldondre** · 05-14-2012, 04:52 PM

will there be stepped up septa service or will they simply encourage people to use septa without actually doing anything to accomodate increased ridership?
as for not using the parkway, isn't this what the parkway is for?
if the city is making money, how much is the city making?

**mixiboi** · 05-14-2012, 04:56 PM

I'm sure SEPTA is working on that now. They handle the Phillies Parade without much issue, this time they have more time to plan.

**raider.adam** · 05-14-2012, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

as for not using the parkway, isn't this what the parkway is for?

I think it is just being tossed around the logistics of making it a paid event on the parkway. Everything else has been free.

**raider.adam** · 05-14-2012, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by mixiboi

I'm sure SEPTA is working on that now. They handle the Phillies Parade without much issue, this time they have more time to plan.

? The Phillies parade was a SEPTA disaster.

**mixiboi** · 05-14-2012, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

if the city is making money, how much is the city making?

If we look at say Lollapalooza in Chicago, they make $13 million off of the event. So hopefully, we see some cash from this.

**mixiboi** · 05-14-2012, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

? The Phillies parade was a SEPTA disaster.

It could have been worst....Way worst. But it wasn't. Again, this time they have much more time to plan.

**DocAwesome** · 05-14-2012, 05:00 PM

I read on the interwebs (at the Inky) that this will be a 50k person per day event, theoretically. Just so you can guestimate the amount of people that they will need to logistically plan for.

Just to compare, in case you have been to them, Race for the cure last weekend had 40k runners another 100k spectators, while the Broad Street Run also had ~40k runners and god knows how many spectators.

**raider.adam** · 05-14-2012, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by mixiboi

It could have been worst....Way worst. But it wasn't. Again, this time they have much more time to plan.

How would it have been worse? People were stuck for hours waiting for trains back.

I agree they have time to plan and will likely be ok (plus I doubt they will have those numbers), but in no way did SEPTA handle the Phillies parade without much issue.

**mixiboi** · 05-14-2012, 05:07 PM

They could have crippled the entire system. Which with that many people they could have.

Luckily this will be a ticked event as that will limit the number of people so it won't get to the critical point of space. Now dealing with the outsiders and non-ticket holders will be the issue(But again Chicago deals with it at Grant Park, and its not that different from us)

**eldondre** · 05-14-2012, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

How would it have been worse? People were stuck for hours waiting for trains back.

I agree they have time to plan and will likely be ok (plus I doubt they will have those numbers), but in no way did SEPTA handle the Phillies parade without much issue.

it isn't all septa's fault of course, I blame the city for not sitting down with penndot, amtrak, and septa to figure out a better game plan. septa's top request would have been "um, how about saturday mr. mayor?"
septa did what it could but. this, on the other hand, will likely be nothing like the phillies parade and more like live 8 (or aid, I forget now)...which was poorly handled on septa's part. in fairness, the city should kick in some money if needed as part of the event cost if it increases septa's loss. at the margin, it will be much easier to add transit capacity than road capacity on labor day weekend. I'd also talk to amtrak about having keystone trains from ny and harrisburg call at suburban station that weekend.

it should be possible to handle this but if the past is any indicator, it will be botched.