Gene MaddausCheck out our update on how lies and half-truths have lead public officials to support raves on public property; also see our piece about how EDC will try to keep O.D. victims from being sent to hospitals.
By Dennis Romero
The officials who control the publicly owned Los Angeles Coliseum on Wednesday gave the green light to a controversial annual rave, Electric Daisy Carnival, with the caveat that only 75,000 ravers are allowed per day.
That's down from the 100,000 who crammed into the Coliseum on the second day of the event [added] last June. EDC got into hot water when a 15-year-old who had attended the rave died of an ecstasy overdose.
A tip sheet from the county on how to rave safely
The commission had already decided to let the four-times-a-year raves go on at the Coliseum and sister venue Sports Arena, but voted to have all such parties impose an 18-and-up policy with strict ID scanning.
But even after that rule was enacted we reported that the New Year's Eve rave at the Sports Arena, Together As One, saw IDs go unchecked.
But the parties make up nearly 30 percent of the venues' revenue, and the commissioners have noted that times are hard when it comes to public finances.
Commissioners continue to say the parties, which routinely report dozens of drug-related emergency room visits, are on thin ice.
Ravers are “coming here for a culture to do drugs,” said Commissioner Rick Caruso at today's meeting. “We know that …
And we're taking potential resourses (police and firefighters) away from the
community.”
But so far the ground is holding for Electric Daisy Carnival.
This year's two-day event is scheduled for June 24 and 25 at the Coliseum. Last year's event drew an estimated 160,000 people over two days, including 100,000 on Saturday.
The parents of the late teenager Sasha Rodriguez are suing the commission and might sue EDC's promoter.
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