After the move for inviting the festival to South Beach was overruled last week 5 to 2, some Miami city officials have expressed regrets about forcing Ultra out of its residency at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami, pressured by years of complaints from residents. “It just reminded me of being in a relationship, then breaking up with someone that you’re not ready to stop dating,” Commissioner Keon Hardemon stated at a meeting Tuesday, according the Miami Herald. The city is in talks of reopening their doors for the festival, although are cautious about local backlash and would likely crack down on noise and curfew regulations.
Meanwhile, Homestead-Miami Speedway has just approved a 10-year contract to host the festival, as well as the request to extend its hours from its usual 11pm curfew to 2am. Ultra’s rendition in South Africa uses a similar set up, and many festivals in the US have found their home at racetracks like EDC Las Vegas and Firefly. The speculative benefits of Ultra settling into a comparatively remote location include more lenient noise regulations, minimal push-back from local residents and a camping experience.
