When Is A Festival Too Big? Coachella, Stagecoach To Expand

More tickets sold mean more money for artists (and promoters).  I get it. But when is big, too big? The promoters of Coachella and Stagecoach seem determined to find out, potentially to the detriment of the powerful brands that they've carefully cultivated.

Indio's City Council voted unanimously last week to expand the capacity of future installments of Goldenvoice's popular Coachella and Stagecoach festivals.

Goldenvoice submitted a proposal for expansion of both of the festivals last month, seeking to raise the allowable capacity of Coachella from 99,000 to 125,000 and Stagecoach from 75,000 to 85,000 fans.

The increase in attendance would be implemented gradually, to allow the small desert community of Indio to acclimate to the crowds, the city's Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes told the Desert Sun.

"I think overall it's not going to have too much affect," current Mayor Glenn Miller told The Desert Sun prior to the meeting. "We've been working on this for a little while with the (Environmental Impact Report) … so I don't think you're going to see much of an impact."

As a part of the approved expansion, Goldenvoice will be expanding the festival's footprint, adding approximately 50 acres to provide additional transportation capacity and open areas for festivalgoers.

The expanded capacity for the event likely spells expanded revenue for the town. According to the Desert Sun, 62,000 extra people buying tickets equates to approximately $1 million extra in ticket taxes for the town.

via Celebrity Access