This browser does not support the Video element.
Is Country Thunder's future in question?
The Country Thunder music festival is less than a month away, and major questions remain about whether it will take place as planned on the sand at TradeWinds Resort. FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - The Country Thunder music festival is less than a month away, and major questions remain about whether it will take place as planned on the sand at TradeWinds Resort.
Environmental groups and residents continue to raise concerns about the timing of the event, which falls during peak shorebird and sea turtle nesting season. As of now, organizers still do not have a required permit from either the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or the city of St. Pete Beach.
The Florida Audubon Society now says it will pull the convention from TradeWinds Resort if it hosts the concert.
What they're saying:
Beth Forys, president of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society and a biology professor at Eckerd College, says the scale and timing of the festival are alarming.
"We’ve never seen anything this big ever before," Forys said.
Forys warns the planned festival dates coincide with one of the most sensitive periods for nesting wildlife along the Gulf Coast.
The concern has escalated to the state level. The Florida Audubon Society says it may pull its annual statewide convention from TradeWinds if the concert moves forward on the beach.
"This would be one of the worst things that we’ve heard of in a while," Forys said.
Environmental advocates also worry about the physical impact on the beach itself, citing heavy equipment, large crowds and the area’s recent renourishment.
The backstory:
Despite the uncertainty, Country Thunder has already sold non-refundable tickets, ranging from about $150 per day to as much as $25,000 for VIP tables.
During a recent public meeting, organizer Kim Blevins, acknowledged they are still waiting for permits — and don’t have a contingency plan.
City Commissioner Lisa Robinson asked, "You do not have a permit as it stands now, correct?"
"Correct," Blevins said.
"But you have sold non-refundable tickets?" Robinson asked.
"Correct," Blevins said.
"Do you have a backup venue?" Robinson asked.
"We don’t at this time — we’re hopeful that we’ll get our permit," Blevins said.
Blevins said they’ve considered moving the event off the sand and into the TradeWinds parking lot, but that would significantly change logistics.
By the numbers:
The festival is expected to draw 8,000 to 10,000 people per day, raising additional concerns about space and transportation.
The current plan calls for concertgoers to park at Tropicana Field and be bused to the beach.
TradeWinds management remains optimistic the event can be done safely with respect to wildlife.
"We’re really kind of going forward. We know we can do this responsibly, safely, an event that everybody can enjoy," resort manager Travis Johnson said.
What's next:
With just 29 days until the scheduled start, the future of the festival remains uncertain.
Organizers continue to advertise the event, but without permits in hand, it’s unclear whether the show will go on or be forced to move.
FOX 13 News reached out again to TradeWinds and Country Thunder regarding the permit status, but have not yet received a response.
The Source: This story was gathered from interviews with The Audubon Society, a TradeWinds manager, information from a city commissioner meeting, advertisements from Country Thunder and past reporting.