Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Regardless of what the City Council decides Tuesday, the String Cheese Incident will not be coming back to Steamboat for the Fourth of July next year.

Great Knight Productions' John Waldman, who has brought the Independence Incident to Steamboat the last two years, said the concerts would be too big of an impact in 2003 when July 3 and 4 fall on the weekend.

"We won't do anything on the third or the fourth (of July)," Waldman said. "It's on the weekend and it is too much of an impact from big music and this concert."

The City Council will discuss the issues that surrounded this year's concert at Tuesday's night meeting.

Local law enforcement agencies made 56 arrests during the two-day concert period.

Although the fate of String Cheese is already determined for next year, Waldman said the council would still decide the future of "big music" in Steamboat.

Councilman Bud Romberg said the Independence Incident is an event he would prefer not come to Steamboat.

Quick to point out he was not speaking for the entire council, Romberg said that concerns had been raised as far back as a year ago the first time String Cheese played in Steamboat during the Fourth of July.

"In terms of reports from businesses, I don't think this is the kind of concert we want to bring back here again," Romberg said.

The Routt County Sheriff's Office, Steamboat Springs Police Department and Grand, Routt and Moffat County Narcotics Enforcement Team made 56 arrests between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Friday.

Forty-five of those arrests were drug related with the most common arrest involving the sale of Ecstasy and some forms of methamphetamine.

The 2002 total was a sharp increase from the previous year, which saw just nine drug arrests, seven arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and no violent crimes.

Romberg said the kinds of big music groups he would like to see are the family groups, which he said are "not particularly rowdy."

But he also said it is not the city's job to find big music and it is something the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association is responsible for.

"I'm not opposed to bringing in events. But I want to bring in the kind of people who are respectful of the town and do not alienate the other people that are here," Romberg said.

Waldman said if you look at the numbers, the Independence Incident has been successful for the last two years, and people want to come to Steamboat.

"It is definitely an issue where some folks do not feel that younger shows should happen in Steamboat. But it brought in 11,000 people (this year) and 18,000 (in 2001). Obviously it should be in Steamboat," Waldman said.

Waldman said that String Cheese is aware of that feeling in the community and wants to play in a community that welcomes the band.

Before Waldman can hold the Independence Incident, the city has to grant the promoter a special activity permit.

Although the council did not review the 2001 Independence Incident during a public meeting, earlier this year it allowed the event to change locations.

Moving the event from the Mount Werner's Headwall to the Tennis Meadows did cut down on noise complaints this year.