ATLANTA — An Atlanta City Council leader is concerned after SweetWater Brewing Co. announced it will change its venue citing "safety concerns."
City Council President Doug Shipman issued a statement Friday about his concerns. He stated that the festival brought over thousands - the loss of which could hurt the Atlanta economy.
His statement is below.
“This festival attracts more than 30,000 people over several days. Reducing the size of the venue and the number of days of the festival is a huge economic loss for our city. We can secure stadiums and private venues and we should do the same for music festivals on public grounds when ticketed. We have an opportunity and obligation to make Georgia the number one place for tourism and music. I am hopeful we can find a solution to allow festivals to safely occur on public property with our state leadership and I will continue to work with Mayor Dickens and the City Council to explore local solutions that may restore our ability to be a music destination,” Shipman said.
Shipman also wants to work on solutions to allow safe festivals on public property.
Sweetwater officials said that this year's event will be a bit more intimate. The brewing company will transform its Ottley Drive brewery into a smaller venue with indoor and outdoor stages. This decision replaces the Centennial Olympic Park space.
"While the shift in venue will limit capacity, we anticipate this intimate edition of 420 Fest to be one for the books. Safety and nonstop music are our top priority for this 420 Fest," said Mike Boudreaux, SweetWater’s Director of Hospitality.
For more information on how to buy tickets, visit here.