CITY HALL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday he expects Riot Fest organizers to learn from their mistakes in Humboldt Park and leave Douglas Park in the same condition they find it in September.
"They now know that the people of Humboldt Park don't want them," Emanuel said during a news conference after Wednesday's City Council meeting. "I don't think it's in their best interests to have a second park say, 'We don't want you in Chicago.'
"So they've been put on notice to be better citizens in holding this festival," he added. "Because if you go 0-for-2 we don't have a three-strike rule in the City of Chicago."
Riot Fest organizers announced this week it would be moving to Douglas Park in North Lawndale, after Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) led public opposition to its return to Humboldt Park.
Ted Cox says Riot Fest will be held accountable for the park's condition:
Emanuel said Wednesday the Park District had handled the switch.
The mayor cited Riot Fest's recent selection by USA Today readers as the best music festival in the nation, saying, "I'm glad they decided to make the City of Chicago their home."
Yet to remain here, he added, "They have to do it in a way that makes them good citizens and good residents and contribute back."
Emanuel said Riot Fest organizers would be held accountable "to make sure that, given that they'll have that festival at Douglas Park, they will leave it in as good a shape as [when] they started."
Emanuel dodged a question about "clouds of marijuana smoke" looming over the punk-rock fest, except to add, "They have a responsibility as the organizers of that festival to be a good citizen."
Riot Fest is scheduled this year for Sept. 11-13.
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