Dennis RomeroUpdate: A representative of the promoter says the party will only happen two days (despite the venue calendar, after the jump).
The lies, half truths and wool-covered eyes have been in full effect this week as public officials reviewed and renewed plans for a controversial megarave, Electric Daisy Carnival, at the publicly owned L.A. Coliseum in June.
We reported that the event plans to essentially hide O.D. victims from local emergency rooms. Coliseum Commissioners have compared the ecstasy-fueled event to a regular ole' rock concert.
But nothing seems to beat this: It looks like EDC, despite its troubles, might actually be expanding from two days to three.
The online calendar for Exposition Park, home to the Coliseum, has the party happening Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 24-26.
The promoter's website lists the event as happening Friday and Saturday only, and no mention of an expansion was made as plans for the big party were reviewed before the commission Wednesday.
Exposition Park's June calendar.
(We contacted a promoter's representative and had yet to hear back).
But it might make some sense: The promoter is out some serious coin after hiring a well-connected lobbyist and promising to staff up on police, security and medical personnel (not to mention the experts brought in to spin public officials).
Fire officials said they would limit the event this year to 75,000 a day. On the second day of last year's party 100,000 people showed up, according to authorities. Police told us 160,000 people were there over two days, but the promoter claims it was more like 185,000.
A fire official told the commission Wednesday the reduced capacity would alleviate some of the problems seen at last year's event — fence jumping and people getting seriously hurt in a crowd crush at one barrier.
EDC last year saw the subsequent death of ecstasy overdose victim Sasha Rodriguez, who was only 15. That along with anarchic conditions seen on video, IDs going unchecked and more than 200 hospitalizations led the commission to reconsider raves.
This week the body made clear that it's behind the parties, which a lawyer retained by Rodriguez's family claims make up nearly 30 percent of the revenues at the commission-controlled Coliseum and Sports Arena.
At Wednesday's Coliseum Commission meeting the venues' general manager indicated they were $1 million in the red.
A 75,000 cap would mean even less money for the public venues and for a promoter who has spent a lot to keep his parties afloat. Three days — that would mean more.
With two-day tickets costing $132 last year, an extra day might make the promoter's lobbying efforts all worth while.
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