Zilker Park is being “Loved to Death” by The Austin Parks Foundation, ACL Festival and Friends
The Fleecing of Austin Tax-payer and the 10-Years Long “Venue Vision Plan” and Why You Should Care
Editor’s Note: the following article is long and extensively footnoted. We encourage readers to educate themselves with this mind-blowing exposé.
Revised August 18, 2024
Trigger Warning: For those who are friends of nonprofits, the good, the bad and the ugly. Let’s explore the disarming effect that the mention of the word nonprofit has on people. Let’s explore the possibility that some people might use the word nonprofit to exploit your giving nature and your trust to further their own self-interests. Then let’s explore the idea that you are not being told the whole truth of who, what, when and how your donation money is or is not being spent by these “dark .orgs” and how the legal loopholes allow these for-profit nonprofits to obfuscate the truth about the salaries, property and stock investments which they may hold.
What can be said about noble sounding nonprofits which tout themselves as protectors and advocates for nature, parks, and greenways? After all, it sounds like people are giving for a good cause, right? And, for the most part that is true, with a notable exception, Zilker Metropolitan Park, valuable real estate indeed. So valuable, in fact, that many souls have been sold, vying for a “seat at the table” to have a piece of the pie. More recently, in a self-interested land grab, Austin Parks Foundation and other friends of the “dark .orgs” attempted to forcibly take the whole pie from the Austin tax-paying community by voraciously lobbying the Zilker Park Vision Plan into existence as the Venue Vision Plan.
Read more about how Zilker Park is "Loved to Death"
One could speculate that the take-over would not have almost happened without some strategically planted friends at City Hall and Austin Boards and Commissions giving the deal a stamp of approval throughout the process. This will be later addressed in this article. And what deal was struck? The Austin Parks and Recreation Department agreed to allow the Austin Parks Foundation to hold its multimillion-dollar music festival in Zilker Park. In a sense, a nonprofit alliance with a long-game plan to take the park from the people and turn it into a year-round venue for conservancies and foundations, portraying themselves as self-appointed “stakeholders” for Zilker Park, almost did just that.
In order to understand how we got here, we have to go to Chicago, Lollapalooza, Millennial Park and C3 Presents. In an article, penned Sept 30, 2014 and published in the Chicago Sun Times, Dan Mihalopoulos writes, “Richard M. Daley was mayor when Chicago first agreed to turn over Grant Park for a summer weekend every year to three guys named Charlie (Charlie Walker, Charlie Jones and Charlie Attal, a.k.a. C3.) Within a year of Daley’s last day in the mayor’s office, the three Charlies would no longer enjoy the break they had been getting from paying local amusement taxes for their Lollapalooza music festival.
However, the relationship between C3 Presents LLC, and the Daley family has endured and grown. The Austin, Texas-based C3 paid for Tur Partners LLC, the company Daley formed after he became a private citizen, with his son, Patrick—to devise a plan for how Austin might make better use of a cherished downtown park. The lucrative Lone Star State deal comes as the Daley name seems to be increasingly tarnished at home, with Daley’s successor and others struggling to disentangle the financial mess he left behind. Among the tricky knots that have been untied since Daley’s retirement was the deal that had exempted C3 from amusement taxes. For Lollapalooza’s first seven years, C3 didn’t have to pay the 5 percent city tax or the 1.5 percent Cook County tax, even as promoters of other music festivals paid those taxes.
The deal with Daley saved the three Charlies—and cost taxpayers—more than $1 million in 2011 alone.
C3 got what turned out to be their last city waiver from the amusement tax shortly before Daley’s last term ended in 2011, and they have had to pay the city and the county taxes since then.
Another article, written By Chuck Sudo in News on 24, 2014 for Chicagoist, reads as follows, “The rich do indeed get richer. The Sun-Times looks at the mutually beneficial relationship between former Mayor Richard M. Daley and C3 Presents, the group that produces Lollapalooza, and finds it to still be rewarding for both parties. C3, which is in the curious position of having conflicts of interests here, said it had no role in Austin Parks Foundation hiring Tur. However, so far, C3 has paid the Austin Parks Foundation $1.5 million to cover its payments to Tur. The relationship between Daley and C3 goes back to when C3 decided to reboot Lollapalooza as a weekend destination festival in Grant Park over a decade ago, another project where it could be argued money-making ventures take precedence over green space. C3’s original contract called for the company to not pay any amusement taxes to the city. That loophole was closed shortly after Daley left office.”
In another article written by Michael King on. July 8, 2013 for The Austin Chronicle, entitled “Meet and Greet the Mayor: No not that one: former Chicago Mayor,” Richard M. Daley, King writes:
“Although City Council is informally on hiatus until August—and several members annually spend at least a couple of weeks in cooler climes—the work goes on in steamy Austin. This week features a Council “meet and greet” with former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley…Daley is now executive chairman of Tur Partners LLC, whose cryptic name, according to its website, designates “an investment and advisory firm that partners with global businesses to drive expansion into new and existing markets.” That’s its current task in Austin, where it was hired to help the Parks and Recreation Department develop a “long-term plan” for the city’s downtown parks. Daley is in town to mark the release of the first fruit of that project, a report titled “Town Lake Metropolitan Park Redevelopment Study.”
2013 was also the year that the then Austin Parks and Recreation Director, Sarah Hensley, released a report, paid for by C3, entitled “Preliminary Findings Report and Status Update.”
According to the report, the “Auditorium Shores Improvements Project will be led by PARD, actively coordinated with the Austin Parks Foundation and C3 Presents, the organizer of the Austin City Limits Festival, and also outside consultants. Austin Parks Foundation is currently working with advisory firm Tur Partners LLC, in close connection with PARD and the City of Austin, on a comprehensive analysis of city plans, policies and initiatives relating to Austin’s Public Park System, with a particular focus on long-term redevelopment plans for Town Lake Metropolitan Park.”
“Entirely at C3′s expense, Daley’s Tur firm has worked with the Austin Parks Foundation to devise a plan for the 74-acre Town Lake Metropolitan Park, on the shores of Lady Bird Lake.” (Tur already has told Austin leaders that they could build underground parking and pedestrian bridges over roads, for a total cost estimated at more than $100 million)…
“The plan is drawing criticism that it favors money-making ventures over green space. C3 promotes festivals in Austin, too, including an event in the park that’s the subject of the Daley company’s study.”
In an editorial, the Austin American-Statesman questioned whether commercial interests—and perhaps the interests of C3—ultimately will trump the public’s desires.
As his company’s executive chairman, Daley met with a delegation of Austin leaders who toured Chicago’s downtown parks last year. Daley also went to Texas to participate in a panel with other mayors and former mayors, says Colin Wallis, executive director of the Austin Parks Foundation.”
“He was just sort of visioning,” Wallis says. “High-level stuff.”
Most of the firm’s work in Austin, Wallis says, is being performed by other Tur executives. They include the company’s CEO Lori Healey, who was a chief of staff in the Daley administration.
In a statement from a spokesman in Chicago, C3 said it played no role in the Austin Parks Foundation’s hiring of Tur. However, public records show C3 was contracted to give the city’s Parks Foundation $1.5 million specifically to cover all payments to Tur and a project manager. Collin Wallis declined to say how much exactly has been paid to Daley’s company. “I’m not at liberty to speak about details of our contract with Tur Partners.” Healey also declined to say because “it’s private information.”
“The precise amount doesn’t matter. The Texas two-step between the three Charlies and the Daleys seems to move to exactly the same rhythm as the mutual back-scratching common in so many public deals up here.”
Considering this initial overt lack of transparency by C3 and by Colin Wallis, APF, at a May 2023 meeting at a Parks Board regarding the Zilker Vision Plan, Colin Wallis kept with the groups’ talking points, and says, “…we have had no input into the Zilker Vision Plan, or at least not a heavy-handed input…” The credibility of this statement is strained by a number ofintimate business relationships – APF, ACL, C3 and LiveNationcontinue to share an office. Likewise, the relationship between Colin Wallis and C3’s COO, Emmet Beliveau. See Austin Parks Foundation, ParksCast transcript, S2, Episode 14, “Premier Parknership: A conversation with C3 Presents COO Emmett Beliveau” as interviewed by Colin Wallis, APF.https://open.spotify.com/episode/6yKvGlrP4UbLwTkRDY5mXv Podcast
An Austin Chronicle article, December 16, 2022, Design Workshop’s Managing Principal, Claire Hempel, “stresses that C3 is “not sitting at the table to make any decisions regarding the plan.” And Karen Blizzard, then Zilker Collective Impact Working Group (which later formed the non-profit, Zilker351) project manager says, “Despite what you might have heard, C3, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are not a part of our group and we have not met with them.” (Parks and Recreation Board hearing Jan 23, 2023 timestamp 1:30:02)
However, in at least two meetings of ZCIWG, found on the City of Austin’s website, Claire Hempel reports about meetings and discussions with C3/ACL regarding Design Workshop’s plans for Zilker, clearly aware that ACL was, for them, a key stakeholder in the Zilker Park Vision Plan. Also, documents obtained from the City of Austin through an open records request (PIR) show that statements made on record and on video by some people to the Parks and Recreation Board contradict what was found in City of Austin official government documents. These pages can be read here: PIR C178534. Meetings between Parks and Recreation Department Vision Plan Staff, Emmet Beliveau, (LiveNation/C3) and Design Workshop and Planning Commissioner, Claire Hempel, discussed what would work and wouldn’t work in the design regarding how Austin City Limits uses the park. Some interesting items to note regarding ACL, would be the narrowing of Barton Springs Road, in order to funnel attendees through the gate. Additionally, the widening of Barton Springs Bridge to accommodate festival goers was suggested.
New bridges over Barton Creek, one which aligns with Toomey Road, providing ACL easier access to new venues in the Dougherty Arts Center, and another bridge crossing the creek at Lou Neff Point. At this point, we can only speculate the working relationship between The Trail Conservancy and the Austin Parks Foundation. It certainly looks as if their venue development goals align.
Downstream and across the river from Zilker, another powerful nonprofit, The Trails Conservancy, promoted code amendments to the Critical Water Quality Zone along Butler Trail. (Colin Wallis was previously a board member at The Trails Conservancy.) The amendments reduce environmental restrictions to the Hike and Bike Trail ostensibly so that The Trails Conservancy can with “bring the trail up to code.” This includes widening the trail with no width restrictions and might include concrete walkways.
On August 23, 2014, the Editorial Board of the Austin American Statesman wrote, “Nip Auditorium Shores in the Bud.” “… $3.5 million dollar donation from C3/Live Nation…includes new grass and new irrigation…” It goes on to say “the plan suggests depressing Riverside Drive by moving it underground, adding a playground, and underground parking…” C3 now holds its Austin Food and Wine Festival on the grounds of Auditorium Shores.
The ACL festival began as a one-weekend event in 2002 until August 16, 2012. It was then that Austin City Council members voted unanimously to allow the Austin City Limits Music Festival to expand to two consecutive weekends beginning in 2013.” The 6-day festival blocks access to the park by regular park users from initial setup of fencing to take down of fencing, equipment, semi-trucks, tents, etc., for one and a half months. It is produced by C3, which is now owned by LiveNation/Ticketmaster.
In The Austin Chronicle, Raoul Hernandez interviewed Charles Attal (C3) about the C3 LiveNation Deal.
“Austin Chronicle: So Live Nation now cuts your paychecks?
Charles Attal: They write my check [Live Nation Entertainment CEO] Michael Rapino is my boss!”
An estimated 7 million people have pounded through ZilkerPark and over the historic Barton Springs Bridge during the Austin Parks Foundation’s ACL and Live Nation estival. That number does not include heavy equipment, trucks, crew, staffing, litter, ecological damage and noise pollution, just to name a few. So yes, Zilker Park IS being “loved to death” by APF and Live Nation. They have worn the park and worn out their welcome. It is time for them to move to a more appropriate venue, perhaps one of the many C3/Live Nation has already acquired in their local venue monopoly here in Austin, Texas.
An article by WSBTV staff, entitled, “Centennial Olympic Park will no longer host big events because of the wear and tear it does to the park” points to the idea that city officials CAN change their minds. Additionally, Jackie Wollner writes a well sourced article, entitled “Angelfest: Environmental Harm Plus Fiscal and Governance Embarrassment,” in regard to holding festivals in parks. “The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has made a remarkably bad deal for the use of taxpayer funded Woodley Park.” Citing the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society and the Army Corps, the article continues, “no amount of money is worth the destruction of an ecologically sensitive area” and “granting waivers for such a harmful event and disadvantageous deal would be a breach of the Army Corp’s good stewardship mission.” https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/centennial-olympic-park-will-no-longer-host-big-events-administrators-say/TQSL2AJRDFHJ7BNDRLOCYITDJ4/
One might assume that this is a story exposing C3/LiveNation/TicketMaster, but it is not. It is a story about a former Parks and Recreation Director, Kimberly McNeeley, giving away governance of city owned parkland to outside interests. This alliance between parks and nonprofits, being led by global venue monopolies, has made it hard for city officials to say no. These groups and their associated entities have strategically embedded themselves into Austin’s local government.
2013 was indeed an interesting year and a turning point for the demise of public park use by citizens, because nonprofits with vested interests in Zilker Park began to circle the “wounded” park, neglected by new Parks Director, McNeeley. One particular nonprofit, the Barton Springs Conservancy, which had initially and innocently attached itself to the Barton Springs Pool eventually became a branch of the Zilker Park Vision Plan when Austin native, and patent attorney, Mike Cannatti became president of Barton Springs Conservancy. He is now sitting on the Tourism Commission and has been actively lobbying for nonprofits and special interest groups for over ten years. Just one of many of his meetings with City Leaders for example, is noted: “March 18, 2013 1:00pm – 1:30pm MTG. Michael Cannatti +2. re: Barton Springs Master Plan Grounds Improvement – Morrison, Laura.” Who are the +2 noted? We can only speculate at this point, but we have some ideas.
The Barton Springs Conservancy, under Tourism Commissioner Mike Cannatti’s leadership and networking, was instrumental in hiring and funding The Siglo Group’s Report by Jonathen Ogren. In an Austin CultureMap article, June 25, 2021, Mike Cannatti says, “Design WorkShop Team for the vision plan is already incorporating information from the ‘Siglo’ report into its efforts. We may have primed the pump a bit by getting the report done earlier than later, providing information they need on the front end.” Design Workshop’s designer is Claire Hempel, who is now the Chair of the powerful Austin Planning Commission. Her firm got the Zilker Park Vision Plan’s no-bid design contract with the city, and while she was on the Planning Commission,helped get the Commission’s nod of approval. Claire Hempel was appointed by Council Member Paige Ellis. Zilker Park is in Paige Ellis’s District.
In 2013, the Zilker Park Working Group was established and was marketed as a small group of people who had interest in the park. Members came from The Nature Center, Zilker Botanical Gardens, Trail of Lights, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and ZilkerHillside Theater. The first to sign-in on the attendance sheet was a representative from C3. Not far behind was Colin Wallis and Mike Cannatti. The Zilker Park Working Group appears to have evolved into the nonprofit, Zilker351. According to its website, “Zilker 351 works to honor, preserve and enhance the natural, cultural, and recreational treasures of 351-acre ZilkerMetropolitan Park for all.” Sounds great.
Here are their current and recent members:
Karen Blizzard, now former Interim Director 351; George Cofer, Hill Country Conservancy; Jesús Aguirre, Chief Executive Officer of Waterloo Greenway Conservancy; Jason Cheng, Friends of Austin Nature and Science Center’ Mike Cannatti, Barton Springs Conservancy (2014 to present), Friends of Barton Springs Pool (2009 to present), Tourism Commission (2018-present), Zilker Park Working Group (2018-2019), City of Austin Building and Fire Code Board of Appeals (2008-2016); Deena Estrada, Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis’ ex-Chief of Staff; Evan Taniguchi, City of Austin Design Commissioner, ZilkerBotanical Gardens Conservancy; Rachel Green, ex-Commissioner on the Austin Economic Prosperity Commission and President for the Austin Trail of Lights Foundation; Colin Wallis, CEO of the Austin Parks Foundation (APF), ex-Board Member Trail Conservancy; Hanna Cofer, Trail Conservancy interim CEO, and Environmental Commissioner, Trail of Lights Foundation; James Russell, Executive Director+*, ABC Kite Festival, Event Manager*
Not since the former Austin Parks and Recreation Director, Sarah Hensley sat at the helm have Austin’s parks been threatened to their breaking point. Hensley had originally hired McNeeley and trained her for this position. McNeely was more than happy to continue what Hensley started, the nonprofit partnerships with parks. This relationship was sold to the Austin City Council as a nationwide trend for municipal parks.
The devil in question is the Austin Parks Foundation, whichshares the same address and suite number as LiveNation/C3. They were welcomed to the table by former Mayor Steve Adler,.Sounds very innocuous doesn’t it? But when you realize that they have been flying under the radar for many years until they were recently outed as owners of the for-profit machine, Austin City Limits Festival, you may ask yourself, why were they hiding this and what else are they hiding? IRS, could you fill us in as to how a for-profit is owned by a nonprofit, whose financial disclosure details are sheltered by the 990 Tax Form of the nonprofit accounts for its revenue? Other articles state that Live Nation owns Lollapalooza Festival and Austin City Limits Festival, which makes sense, since they own C3.
The Austin Parks Foundation, run by Colin Wallis (intimate business friends with C3 and ex-employee of the Lance Armstrong Foundation) has been quietly taking over responsibilities of parks management duties doled out by Kimberly McNeeley. Her reason? The Parks are underfunded and are “being loved to death.” This has proved to be a manipulation as an independent auditor found 1.5 million dollars that were not being spent which were slated for Zilker Park maintenance. Over the past couple of years, under McNeeley, Zilker Park and other valuable PARD real estate have been systematically neglected to make the excuse that we need to rely on the Austin Parks Foundation, The Trail Conservancy and others, thus validating outside help and the need for a ZilkerPark Vision Plan.
After the uprising of citizens against the Zilker Park Vision Plan in 2023, three Austin city council members issued a statement that they were pulling their support for the Vision Plan and Mayor Kirk Watson issued a statement that they were shelving the plan. Yet, construction on some Zilker Park Vision Plan items have begun to appear around the park! One might conclude that the Zilker Park Vision Plan was not necessary to carry out their projects; it was the nonprofit takeover of concessions contracts that was their end game.
Who are some of these elected officials who promoted the ZilkerPark Vision Plan, against their constituents’ community desires? Council Member Ryan Alter, in the district next to Zilker Park, was Mayor Watson’s aide when he was in the Texas Senate. And then there is Council Member Paige Ellis, her district actually encompasses Zilker Park. Also involved are the following are Boards and Commissions members who did not recuse themselves from discussions or voting: Parks Board, Nina Rinaldi, board member of Austin Outside, Shoal Creek Conservancy, and now a Transportation Department employee, voted for the Vision Plan. Environmental Commission, Hannah Cofer, a member of The Trail Conservancy and Zilker351, voted for the Vision Plan. Planning Commission, Claire Hempel, of Design Workshop, the Vision Plan designer, voted for the Vision Plan. Design Commissioner, Evan Taniguchi, garage architect, Zilker351, Zilker Botanical Gardens, voted for the Vision Planas a member of the city’s Design Commission.
These votes resulted in ethics charges brought against those who did not recuse. Not surprisingly, they were saved by one vote from going to a formal hearing because of “plants” on the ethics commission. Keep in mind, that if it weren’t for this one vote, they would have moved forward to a formal hearing. Hanna Cofer was brought to the Ethics Commission, and it was Ryan Alter’s appointee who gave her a dissenting vote to not investigate. Evan Taniguchi was brought to the Ethics Commission and Ryan Alter’s appointee again gave her dissenting vote. Nina Rinaldi was brought to the Ethics Commission, again Ryan Alter’s appointee and Mayor’s appointee (Council Member Paige Ellis’ husband) gave their dissenting vote.
Why should this matter to the average person in Austin, Texas? It should matter to you because you do not have a seat or voice at the table. This city council and their appointees are consistently pandering to developers and are not working for you. They are systematically destroying Austin one piece at a time. Leslie’s Pools H.O.M.E. Initiative, for instance, required security fencing around the council dais and extra police presence during the council meeting vote. The council passed this despite knowing how strongly Austin constituents opposed H.O.M.E.
Code amendments for the The Trail Conservancy reducing environmental restrictions passed through Parks Board, Environmental Commission, Planning Commission and City Council, despite strong opposition.
The Zilker Park Vision Plan passed through the Planning Commission, Environmental Commission, Design Commission, and Parks Board. The Parks Board meeting had over 200 people speaking against it for 6 hours into the night. At the end of the meeting, Chair Pedro Villalobos, pulled out a pre-prepared letter which stated that the Parks Board gives its support to the Vision Plan.
And now, the new City Manager has been selected. Ex-Parks Director, Sarah Hensley, was on the short list for the job. Yes, the same Director who pandered to Mayor Daley from Chicago, the same one who started the parks relationship with Austin Parks Foundation and C3/Live Nation, the same one who hired and trained Parks and Recreation Director Kimberely McNeeley. The fact that she was even being considered shines the light on who is really pulling the strings. Fortunately for Austin’s tax paying citizens, City Manager Broadnax was offered the position.
Who or what is holding our council members as political hostages to do the bidding of these wealthy nonprofits? What promises and deals have been made that compromise our City? It’s not over folks! We need to stop these predatory and deceptive business practices.
Pay attention. Investigate before you give. Spread the word. Write to your politicians. Vote.
Your voice matters.
Research References
Celebrity Access Media Wire, “Charlie Walker Exits Live Nation for C3”
https://celebrityaccess.com/caarchive/charlie-walker-exits-live-nation-for-c3/
Chuck Sudo (September 24, 2014) “Relationship Between Daley, C3 Presents continues to be mutually beneficial, The Chicagoist
https://chicagoist.com/2014/09/24/relationship_between_daley_c3_prese.php
Sarah Coppolla (August 22, 2014) “For Auditorium Shores are, Chicago Firm imagines new future” Austin American Statesman https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2014/05/23/austin-might-rename-auditorium-shores-event-lawn-for-vic-mathias/10029370007/
Editorial Board (August 23, 2014) “Nip Auditorium Shores Plan in the Bud” Austin American Statesman https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2014/08/23/nip-auditorium-shores-plan-in-the-bud/10034095007/
MICHAEL KING, 12:01PM, MON. JUL. 8, 2013 for The Austin Chronicle, entitled, Meet and Greet the Mayor: No not that one: former Chicago Mayor, Richard M. Daley”
https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2013-07-08/meet-and-greet-the-mayor/
Hernandez (February 26, 2015) “Charles Attal Discusses C3/Live Nation Deal” The Austin Chronicle https://www.austinchronicle.com/search/keywords:Charles+Attal/page-1/
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Chase Hoffsberger (December 19, 2014) “Live Nation Acquires Controlling Stake in C3 Presents” The Austin Chronicle
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Peter Blackstock (January 25, 2021) “Music Commission selects C3 exec for economic development position” Austin American Statesman
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https://www.austinmonitor.com/page/200/?tribe_venue=unnamed-venue&page=1&tribe_event_display=past
Andrew Miles (June 28, 2023) “Explained: How Ticketmaster and Live Nation Control the Live Music Industry” WhiskeyRiff
https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jsel/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2024/05/15.1-Carrier.pdf
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Dave Clark (2021) “Oak View Group Selects Ticketmaster for Six Venues Opening Now” www.ticketnews.comhttps://www.ticketnews.com/2021/07/oak-view-group-selects-ticketmaster-for-six-venues-opening-now-2023/
Chad Swyatecki (February 4, 2020) “C3 Presents partnership will bring touring acts to Moody Amphitheater starting in 2021” Austin Monitorhttps://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2020/02/c3-presents-partnership-will-bring-touring-acts-to-moody-amphitheater-starting-in-2021/
KMFA.org “C3 Presents: Field of Lights at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center”
https://kmfa.org/pages/4005-c3-presents-field-of-lights-at-the-lady-bird-johnson-wildflower-center
KEYE by CBS website (February 16, 2022) “C3 Presents, Live Nation acquire full ownership of Stubb’s” https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/c3-presents-live-nation-acquire-full-ownership-of-stubbs
Staff (January 17, 2012) “Austin Food and Wine Festival, C3 Presents and Food and Wine Magazine Announce the Austin Food and Wine Festival” PRNewswire and Company https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/c3-presents-and-food–wine-magazine-announce-the-austin-food–wine-festival-april-27-29-2012-137519958.html
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Madeline Hollern (September/October 2022) “The Most Memorable Moments in Austin City Limits History” Austin Monthlyhttps://www.austinmonthly.com/the-most-memorable-moments-in-austin-city-limits-music-festival-history/
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Chad Switecki (December 12, 2022) “Zilker Park plan brings worries over parking ecology, athletic fields” Austin Monitor
https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/author/chad-swiatecki/page/28/
Andra Lim (September 24, 2016) “City Council looks to address lingering questions about park events” Austin American Statesman
News Staff (February 23, 2024) “Centennial Olympic Park will no longer host big events, administrators say” WBSTV.com https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/centennial-olympic-park-will-no-longer-host-big-events-administrators-say/TQSL2AJRDFHJ7BNDRLOCYITDJ4/
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Sarah Coppola (September 1, 2012) “Private-group might be chosen to run city-owned Zilker Botanical Garden” Austin American Statesman https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2012/09/01/private-group-might-be-chosen-to-run-city-owned-zilker-botanical-garden/9860413007/
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Austin Parks Foundation, ParksCast transcript, S2, Episode 14, “Premier Parknership: A conversation with C3 Presents COO Emmett Beliveau” as interviewed by Colin Wallis, APF.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6yKvGlrP4UbLwTkRDY5mXv Podcast
Staff (February 23, 2024) Centennial Olympic Park will no longer host big events, administrators say WSBTV
Jackie Wollner (June 2016) Angelfest: Environmental Harm Plus Fiscal and Government Embarrassment The San Fernando Valley Audubon Society https://www.sfvaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ATTACHMENT-5_AngelFest-Fiscal-Considerations.pdf
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https://www.austintexas.gov/austin-city-council
Memorandum from Parks Director, Sarah Healey regarding Tur Partners and Auditorium Shores
https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=227996
Open Records Request Documents Referenced and City of Austin Website Documents and Publicdata website. 93 Page Document: Open Records request detailing meetings between ZPVP and C3 Presents (LiveNation controlling interest)