Council OKs second ACL weekend event

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In a unanimous vote Thursday morning, Austin City Council approved the request of production company C3 Presents to expand the Austin City Limits Music Festival to a second weekend starting in 2013.

City staff and Council will negotiate the agreement with C3 , but improvements planned for Auditorium Shores and funded by C3 were a factor in the 6-0 vote.

Councilman Bil Spelman was not present for the vote, being out on medical leave.

The back-to-back weekends will have nearly identical musical lineups giving fans the opportunity to chose which weekend works best for them.

Sarah Hensley with Austin Parks and Recreations says it is a move that could be lucrative as well as help control crowd size and parking issues that grow larger every year.

The Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association was at the meeting and asked that security issues be addressed before expanding the event to two weekends.

Hensley says C3, the production company for ACL Fest, will immediately begin trying to book bands and musicians willing to stay in Austin for two weekends in 2013.

The resolution passed cites the positive economic impact that ACL Fest has had for Austin and contributions that C3 has made to funding maintenance of Zilker Park as reasons to approve the expansion.

The proposed dates for the internationally known festival are Oct. 4 - Oct. 6, which would be added to the already scheduled dates of Oct. 11 - Oct. 13. However, the resolution states, "The City Manager is encouraged, with the redevelopment of the turf area at Auditorium Shores, to identify a reasonable number of additional rental days, not to exceed five."

This year's event is set for Oct. 12 - Oct. 14. Tickets are still available.

The 2012 lineup includes performers Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, The Black Keys, Jack White, Florence and The Machine, and more.

Other City Council actions

Also Thursday, council approved two contracts for repairs to local waterways.

More than $3 million will go toward fixing a bypass tunnel and downstream dam at Barton Springs Pool, which are cracking and in need of repair.

Also, council voted to approve a contract to use just over a million dollars to repair some erosion and stabilize the shoreline where Shoal Creek dumps out into Lady Bird Lake.

Council also voted to change the speed limit in a section of Convict Hill Road in southwest Austin. The speed limit through the stretch of road between Brodie Lane and Woodcreek Road will be 35 mph.

The section between Woodcreek Road and Escarpment Boulevard will remain 40 mph.

From Escarpment Boulevard to US Highway 290, the speed limit will be 35 mph.