Work has already started to make sure that there isn't a repeat of the Dust Bowl that was the Austin City Limits festival last year. Oh, and the line up comes out next week as well
ACL promoter invests in sprinkler system for Zilker Park
5/11/2006 6:52 PM
By: Amy Hadley
The Austin City Limits Music Festival continues to be a phenomenal success that draws music fans from across the United States, despite the extremely dry conditions that turned the event into a Dust Bowl last year.
Capital Sports and Entertainment (CSE) and the city of Austin team up to make ACL happen every year. Now the dynamic duo hopes to make this year's festival a little more about pleasant by installing a sprinkler system in Zilker Park.
The three-phase, three-year project will run sprinklers and water fountains in the Zilker Park fields. Each year the parks department will complete a new phase. When it's done, the system will pump fresh water for the drinking fountains and water from Town Lake for the sprinklers.
"The city of Austin Parks and Recreation Department had been wanting to do this. When CSE learned of that and offered to pay for half of that, it made it possible for the department to go ahead and move forward with the project," parks department spokesperson Victor Ovalle said.
"With the dust problem from last year, we said, 'We're committed, we'll help with it, and we'll pay for half of it,'" Lisa Schickel of CSE said.
The overall budget is between $500,000 - $700,000 total. Capital Sports and Entertainment puts on the ACL music festival, and now is in the irrigation business, too.
"People travel from all over the world to it. So it's not something that we take lightly. We really care about the people that attend, we care about this event for the city, we care about Austin and we care about Zilker Park. So there was really no other question," Schickel said.
Phase one puts in the main irrigation system, phase two will be more pipes and sprinkler heads, and phase three will pump water from Town Lake for Austin's lawn, and all the events it hosts.
"An irrigation system will help maintain this turf throughout the entire year. The July 4th picnic and fireworks display draws over 100,000 people. The kite festival draws over 25,000 people. It's important to maintain this turf," Ovalle said.
Austin City Limits Music festival will pack Zilker Park September 15 - 17. News 8 Austin will announce the lineup of bands when it's released next Thursday, May 18.
Last edited by Boogahz on May 17, 2006, 7:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Aimee Mann
Alexi Murdoch
Anathallo
The Anointed Voicez
Asheba
Asleep at the Wheel
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Ben Kweller
Benevento Russo Duo
Beto and the Fairlanes
The Biscuit Brothers
The Black Angels
BoDeans
Brazilian Girls
Buckwheat Zydeco
Calexico
Cat Power and the Memphis Rhythm Band
Centro-matic
Charlie Sexton
Claire Small
Damian Marley
Damien Rice
Daniella Cotton
deadboy & The Elephantmen
Del Castillo
Donavon Frankenreiter
The Durdens
Eli Young Band
Elvis Perkins
Explosions in the Sky
Federico Aubele
Feist
Fields
The Flaming Lips
G. Love & Special Sauce
Galactic
Ghandaia
Gnarls Barkely
Goldfrapp
Gomez
The Gospel Silvertones
The Greencards
Greyhounds
Guster
Guy Clark
Husky Rescue
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness?
Ian McLagan and The Bump Band
Imagination Movers
Iron & Wine
Jack Ingram
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Joe McDermott and the Smart Little Creatures
John Mayer
The Jones Family Singers
Jose Gonzalez
Joy Davis
Kasey Chambers
Kathleen Edwards
Kings of Leon
KT Tunstall
The Long Winters
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Lonely Boys
Lou Ann Barton
Marah
Massive Attack
Matisyahu
Matt Costa
Matt Nathanson
Melissa Reaves
Murder by Death
Nada Surf
New Monsoon
The New Orleans Social Club
The New Pornographers
The New Soul Invaders
Nickel Creek
Okkervil River
Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits
The Palm Elementary School Choir
Paolo Nutini
Patrice Pike
Peter Dawson
Phoenix
Pierre Guimard
The Raconteurs
Randy Rogers Band
Ray Lamontagne
Robyn Ludwick
The Rocket Summer
Rocky Votolato
Rodney Hayden
Sam Roberts
Sara Hickman
The Secret Machines
The Shins
Son Volt
South Austin Jug Band
Sparklehorse
Sparta
Star Kids Yoga
Stars
Sterling Lands and The Warrior Gospel Band
The Stills
String Cheese Incident
The Subdudes
Sylvia St. James and The Gospel Stars
Ted Leo/Pharmacists
Terri Hendrix
Thievery Corporation
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
The Tragically Hip
Trish Murphy
Troy Campbell Band
Van Morrison
Ween
What Made Milwaukee Famous
The White Ghost Shivers
Willie Nelson
Wolf Parade
As always, the band list will probably be changed/refined as bands set up tours or have extra dates between shows to swing through Austin.
