Jay-Z, Garcetti Announce Details on Downtown LA Music Festival

The "Budweiser Made in America" music festival will take place downtown over Labor Day weekend and is expected to bring millions of dollars to the city

Rapper Jay-Z and Mayor Eric Garcetti announced details Wednesday for a two-day music festival set to take place over Labor Day weekend. Garcetti hails the "Budweiser Made in America" music festival, which will take place in downtown LA's Grand Park, as an economic boost for the city.

"On Labor Day weekend we are going to celebrate our golden state of mind right here in LA with a sellout crowd right on the steps of city hall and into Grand Park," Garcetti said. "The "Made in America Festival" will attract 50,000 fans Saturday and Sunday. Fans who will inject millions of dollars into the LA Economy."

The "Budweiser Made in America" music festival began in Philadelphia two years ago and helped generate $10 million for the city. Much of the proceeds from the LA festival will go to the local chapter of the United Way.

The 2013 lineup featured acts that spanned various genres, including Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z himself.

"I had a vision of putting together a music festival that blurred the lines of genres that all walks of life and people could come to," Jay-Z said. "And it's in the city, not in a far off place you can't get to."

The festival has drawn criticism from Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents the downtown Los Angeles neighborhood that will host the event. Huizar has expressed concern about the impact of 50,000 visitors and street closures.

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He has called on the city to hold off on issuing permits for the event until the council receives a report on potential public safety issues. The county-owned Grand Park is managed by the Music Center but must obtain street closure permits from the city, according to Huizar's office.

In a motion last month calling for the report, Huizar said "significant public safety and logistical concerns have been raised by various departments."

Grand Park has hosted large events in the past, including a Fourth of July fireworks show and a New Year's Eve party that drew over 20,000 people.

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