By
Brett Erickson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA student promoter finds new venue after county backed of original agreement
Transcend, tomorrow night's large "all-night musical concert," is on again after the latest move in the continuing chess match between a UA student promoting the event and Pima County officials.
Instead of the original site, the event has been moved to a secret location about 35 miles west of Tucson, said University of Arizona senior Darren Blatt, a promoter for Euphoric Empire, the Los Angeles company sponsoring the event.
The rave was originally scheduled to take place at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Rd. But Blatt was forced back to the drawing board on Wednesday when the Pima County Fair Commission pulled the plug on the first plan.
"I am frustrated, but as an entertainer our concern is having the show go on," said Blatt, a psychology and communications senior.
The commission had concerns about safety and about the activities - including alcohol and drug use - closely associated with raves, said Pat Lopez, the commission's attorney.
"The commission was not aware of what happens at raves (when it signed the contract)," he told the Arizona Daily Wildcat earlier this week.
Although Blatt would not disclose the exact location of the "all-night musical concert" - a term he said he prefers due to the stereotypes associated with raves - he said it was about 35 miles west of Tucson along the Ajo Highway. The event is about three miles off the main road but should be easy to locate because of roadside signs and a spotlight, he said.
The exact location will be released today at 3 p.m on the promotion company's website, www.euphoricempire.com.
Because the new venue is significantly further from the UA than the county fairgrounds, Blatt conceded that fewer students will be able to attend.
"We are going to lose some people from the move," he said, adding that they originally expected between 6,000 and 10,000 people.
A shuttle for UA students will leave Coronado Residence Hall every hour beginning for at 8 p.m. for the rave, which lasts from 9 p.m. tomorrow night until 7 a.m. Sunday morning.
Blatt said he would have prefered a closer location for the event, which features groups from London, New York and Detroit, but had to settle outside city limits because of the time crunch.
The new location, he said, is on private property and will feature about 40 security officers.
In the original $17,100 plan with the county, off-duty Department of Public Safety officers were hired to ensure the concertgoers' safety. The contract, which Blatt said was being refunded by the county, also covered the tab for the facility and fencing.
Blatt said he is happy the event has a new home, but is still bitter about the way they were treated by the county.
"I've never given birth, but now I know what it probably feels like," he said.
Pima County officials could not be reached for comment last night.
