- Written by Yasmin Rufo & Brandon Drennon
- BBC news
image source, Getty Images
Travis Scott establishes music festival
Organizers of rapper Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival foresaw crowding problems that would lead to 10 deaths in 2021, new court documents reveal.
Ten days ago, the festival’s safety director expressed concern that large numbers of people would gather near the stage.
“I don’t think it’s possible to accommodate 50,000 people in front of that stage,” Seith Boardman wrote in a letter to the festival’s director of operations.
The exchange was one of many included in recent court filings.
Families of those who died at Astroworld have submitted documents containing the alleged conversations and supporting information as evidence in a major civil lawsuit against the festival’s organizers.
Expert evidence submitted by the plaintiffs claims that festival organizers miscalculated the number of people legally allowed on the premises to avoid overcrowding.
New court documents say organizers mistakenly thought fire codes allowed 5 square feet per person, but it turns out it was actually 7 square feet.
As a result, approximately 50,000 spectators were crammed into a space intended for only 34,500.
The defense team has not yet submitted an expert report to the court.
The document also appears to show that organizers are concerned that gatecrasher – people trying to enter the event without a ticket or invitation – could worsen the situation and further increase crowd size. It is shown that.
One organizer warned of crowds of ticketless people gathering around the perimeter of the venue, writing: “It’s going to be an absolute mess once the sun goes down.”
image source, Getty Images
A woman stands at a monument outside NRG Park, where the 2021 Astroworld Festival was held.
Experts argue in court filings that the problem was exacerbated by security lapses on the day of the event and failure to monitor crowds for signs of potential conflict.
The civil suit is scheduled to begin in May and includes Scott, concert company Live Nation Entertainment and venue operator ASM as defendants.
However, during his set at Astroworld on November 5, 2021, the crowd was crushed, leaving 10 young fans with fatal injuries.
An independent investigation into the tragedy was rejected by Harris County commissioners in 2021. The jury also rejected criminal charges against Scott in June 2023.
Mr. Scott has filed numerous lawsuits since the concert, some of which have been successfully settled. However, he still faces several ongoing civil lawsuits.
Rapper Drake (real name Aubrey Drake Graham) performed with Scott at the festival and is also named in part of the lawsuit.
He is seeking dismissal from these lawsuits.
Mr. Scott’s lawyers have argued that Mr. Scott was not involved in organizing the festival and was not aware of the safety issues until attending Mr. Scott’s set.
