SXSW

POPULOUS SXSW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON ASSESSMENT AND VISIONING WORKSHOP AUGUST 29, 2014 Populous was introduced to SXSW by the Music & Entertainment Division of the City of Austin's Economic Development Division. Populous is a global event planning and design company with extensive experience working with major and iconic events similar to the SXSW event, including 29 Super Bowls, 12 Olympic Games, and 5 FIFA World Cups. Populous learned that SXSW has long recognized the need to constantly evaluate the SXSW event and make the event better in terms of both content and operations. As part of SXSW's annual review this summer, with close attention to safety and design, SXSW consulted with Populous. On August 19 and 20, 2014, Populous facilitated a workshop that was attended by key SXSW staff and City of Austin (CoA) staff and officials who are regularly involved with all aspects of event planning for the SXSW event – this included APD, AFD, EMS, Transportation, the City's Corporate Special Event Program Manager, the Music & Entertainment Office, and other CoA staff. In the Workshop, the group identified challenges, problems, issues and risks and also developed ideas and concepts for potential solutions to address the challenges. After the Workshop, Populous generated a report that reviews and summarizes the outcomes of the Workshop and also provides observations and suggestions. Many of the tactical ideas and concepts will be pursued in the near future. Those that are specific to SXSW will be implemented directly by SXSW when possible. The recommendations here could be implemented with the help of the City of Austin for the 2015 event and could have the biggest impact on the success of SXSW. Defining the Challenge – Problems, Issues and Risks The following is an overview of the challenges the group identified at the Workshop. • SXSW, as a good partner and citizen of Austin, has historically taken the initiative to improve and advance the operation and management of their event for the benefit of all concerned by funding and creating new processes and resources, doing research, traveling and learning from other similar events, and reaching out to professionals in the event industry. • SXSW has difficulties in properly planning for specific crowding issues due to the City's treatment of all applications on a "first come, first served" basis. The ad hoc nature of the permitting process, and lack of an integrated plan does not allow for effective planning or management. • 6th Street and sidestreets overcrowding and the influx of groups that foster unruly behavior, alcohol related problems, and attract criminal elements. • Activities not affiliated with the SXSW event (or splinter events) actually are creating more of the overcrowding problems and unruliness than the SXSW event itself, due to the numbers of people attracted, imprudent control measures, the availability of free or cheap alcohol, RSVP tactics, and crowd composition. • Included in these nonSXSW events are daytime activities inside brick & mortar establishments in the downtown area that are driven by RSVP marketing attracting crowds far in excess of venue capacity with no provisions for crowd management or advance notice to SXSW organizers and public safety officials. • Lack of an integrated plan that encompasses SXSW events and nonSXSW events has made it difficult to collect information in a timely manner to create an integrated plan that all parties can work from. There is also a problem of identifying the method and responsible parties for creation of the plan since there are so many different stakeholders who are not contractually responsible to each other. SXSW routinely provides information to COA on official and affiliated events, including talent, queuing info, onsite contact info, emergency plans, etc. All events during SXSW should be required to do this. • APD and AFD identified the 10day period during SXSW as a severe stretch on their resources and capacity to respond to the needs of the event area as well as the remainder of the City. Enforcement of ordinances and laws has become problematic due to the congestion and overall number of events in the area requiring more City resources ranging from TABC to APD. The continued growth of nonSXSW events is a cause for increasing concern considering the SXSW event itself has maintained relatively slower growth.

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