The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival started in 1999, but didn't really pick up momentum until more recent years. Now it's the festival even your parents want to go to. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Indio, California to see acts like Paul McCartney, M.I.A., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead and Gorillaz playing a host of stages. The festival expanded to include camping ground and the most recent Coachella even starred a hologram version of Tupac. It seemed like Coachella was on the fast track to eternal glory. Then the local government suggested the implementation of a new admissions tax.

The proposed tax, of about 5%-10%, would cause a major spike in ticket prices. The charge is being led by Council member Sam Torre, who organized the petition. Goldenvoice, the promoters behind Coachella, strongly opposed the tax and threaten to relocate the show if it came to fruition. Paul Tollett, president of Goldenvoice, said he would move Coachella as well as Stagecoach, their country music festival out of Indio. The growing popularity of Coachella has brought millions of dollars to the region, as each year music fans from across the country camp out for the multi-day extravaganza. Losing Coachella would be a major blow for local businesses, who have prospered under the reign of the festival giant.

Dates for the 2013 show have already been set for April 12th-14th and April 19th-21st and advanced tickets already went on sale. However if the tax is passed, Goldenvoice threatened to cancel Coachella 2014 and find the festival a new home for 2015. What will the Empire Polo Club do without Coachella and better question, where will it go? Delaware?


Update: Torres has withdrawn his petition and Coachella will stay in Indio.