>>> THE MUSIC IS FLOWING IN CHICAGO PARKS THIS SUMMER BUT FOR SOME COMMUNITIES, THAT BRINGS DREAD.

NOISE, TRASH .

SOME OF THE BIGGEST FESTIVALS INCLUDE RIOT FEST, PITCHFORK , AND OF COURSE, LOLLAPALOOZA IN GRANT PARK, WHICH IS BEING SEVERELY RESTRICTED BY THE NASCAR RACE THIS SUMMER.

EVER HEARD OF IT?

THE NASCAR RACE IN GRANT PARK.

THERE IS PUSHBACK FOR NOT REDIRECTING TRAFFIC BACK TO THOSE SPECIFIC PARKS.

ONE LAWMAKER WANTS BIG CONCERTS LIKE RIOT FEST TO ADD A 2% COMMUNITY BENEFIT TAX .

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS SEAN FORD TO REPRESENT LAWNDALE AND JUANITA, PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT.

FIRST , REPRESENTATIVE FORD, 2% SHOULD BE DIVERTED WHERE THE FESTIVAL IS BEING HELD.

LET'S SAY RIOT FEST, 2% WOULD HAVE TO GO TO DOUGLAS PARK .

HOW WOULD THAT WORK?

>> NOT INTO THE CITY BUT DIRECTLY INTO A NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT IS IN LAWNDALE AND , YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANTED TO GO IN THE CITY.

THEY WANT TO USE THE MONEY FOR THINGS LIKE HOMELESSNESS AND ALLOWING CHILDREN TO GO TO THE PARK TO TAKE CLASSES AT THE PARK.

>> SORRY, YOU THINK COMMUNITY RESIDENTS SHOULD DECIDE HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WHAT OUR TOP COMPLAINT TO HEAR OF FROM RESIDENTS LIKE IN THE PARK WHERE THE FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND, OR DOUGLAS PARK?

>> THERE ARE OFTEN NOT ENOUGH CONVERSATIONS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE COMMUNITY WILL BE IMPACTED.

FOR EXAMPLE, FULLERTON IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

IT IS DOWN TO ONE LANE EITHER WAY AND ON TOP OF THAT YOU WILL PUT ALL OF THIS EXTRA ACTIVITY.

PEOPLE GET UPSET THAT SOME PART OF THEIR PARK WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO THEM, EVEN IF IT IS BEING FIXED AFTER THE CONCERT.

>> IT SEEMS WITH SO MANY OF THESE FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS, THEY ARE SET IN STONE BEFORE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT IT.

DO YOU BELIEVE VOICES ARE BEING HEARD ENOUGH?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

WHEN RIOT FEST CAME FROM HUMBOLDT PARK , THE COMMUNITY AUTOMATICALLY SPOKE AGAINST IT.

I AM ALL FOR THE JOYOUS OCCASIONS OF FESTIVALS , BUT COMMUNITIES SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN DRUMMING UP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> JUANITA IRIZARRY, THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT IN AKRON SAID THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD HAVE TO SIGN OFF BUT THEY SIGNED OFF A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON RIOT FEST WHEN THE TICKETS HAD ALREADY BEEN SOLD AND THE BANDS HAD ALREADY BEEN BOOKED.

DOES THAT SOUND VERY TRANSPARENT TO YOU?

>> THE COMMUNITY TOLD US TO STOP CELEBRATING A VICTORY GETTING THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY FIGURED IT WOULD BE A RUBBER STAMP PROCESS.

THEY REALLY WERE GOING TO GET THESE PERMITS REGARDLESS.

WE THINK THOUGH THERE WERE MAYBE A FEW GOODIES THE COMMUNITY GOT AS A PROCESS THIS YEAR, THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A BIT OF THINKING TO DO ON HOW TO MAKE IT A PROCESS THAT IS NOT JUST A RUBBER STAMP .

>> LET'S HEAR WHAT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAID RECENTLY IN APPROVING THE RIOT FEST PERMIT.

>> IN ADDITION TO LOOKING TO YOU, RIOT FEST, TO MEET EVERY SINGLE PROMISE AND COMMITMENT YOU HAVE MADE, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO YOU TO LEAN IN IN A DEEP WAY AS YOU HAVE BEEN DOING WITH ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS .

>> THE PARK DISTRICT RELEASED THIS STATEMENT TO US TONIGHT.

THE PARK DISTRICT REMAINS COMMITTED TO BALANCING THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES WHO RELY ON OUR PARKS AND WELCOMING CULTURAL EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THESE EVENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE RICH CULTURAL LANDSCAPE AND GENERATE $20 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS PROGRAMMING.

DO YOU THINK THERE IS ENOUGH MONEY COMING FROM THESE EVENTS THAT GO BACK TO THE PARKS OR VITAL PROGRAMMING IN THE CITY?

>> THEY ARE SETTING ASIDE $20 MILLION, BUT THE TRUTH IS THIS IS A BUSINESS.

IT IS NOT A NOT-FOR-PROFIT PUTTING ON THESE CONCERTS.

THEY WILL LEAVE WITH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THAT IS A PROPHET.

THEY SHOULD WANT TO HELP THESE COMMUNITIES .

THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BENEFIT .

>> JUANITA IRIZARRY, ARE ALL FESTIVALS THE SAME OR ARE THERE FESTIVALS THAT DO FIT INTO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND SOME DON'T?

>> SOMETIMES THERE IS A PICNIC IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS REALLY COOL AND NO ONE COMPLAINS ABOUT, OR HOUSE MUSIC .

ONE STARTED IN PILSEN AND CAME OUT OF THE COMMUNITY BUT IT GOT TOO BIG FOR THE PARK .

SOMETIMES THE CULTURAL RELEVANCE BODES WELL BUT YOU NEED A BIGGER SITE IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR PARK.

>> THE CITY DOES WELCOME THE REVENUE THAT COME FROM THESE EVENTS.

TOURISM AND FOLKS COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A BETTER WAY TO HOLD THESE FESTIVALS ?

>> YEAH, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE A SITE WHERE IT IS CONSTRUCTED AND PEOPLE AGREE THAT THIS IS THE SITE THAT PEOPLE WILL GO TO THIS SUMMER.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE MUCH AGREED IT TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

>> I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.

ESPECIALLY IF THE BEARS LEAVE SOLDIER FIELD RIGHT THERE ON THE LAKEFRONT WOULD BE A PERFECT SPOT.

ANY TRACTION TO THAT IDEA LIKE SUMMERFEST IN MILWAUKEE TO HAVE A PERMANENT SITE WHERE ALL OF THESE FESTIVALS COULD GO BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM .

>> WE BELIEVE IF THE BEARS DO LEAVE THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE CONCERTS AT SOLDIER FIELD AND IN THE SURROUNDING PARKING LOTS.

THERE ARE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT COULD BE OUR SUMMER FUN SITE BUT THE PARK DISTRICT COULD GENERATE MORE REVENUE WITH CONCERTS AND OTHER EVENTS HELD AT SOLDIER FIELD.

>> IS THERE ANYBODY IN ON THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.

YES, ABSOLUTELY, BUT UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS , I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY FOLKS IN THE PARK DISTRICT AND ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY .