Coachella Staying Put at Current Location

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will not be changing locations after all. Last week, Goldenvoice, the festival's organizers, said they would leave the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. following the 2013 festival if a new tax initiative was passed. However, the city councilman who proposed the tax has withdrawn the proposition in response to Goldenvoice's threats.

Councilman Sam Torres had proposed adding a tax of between five and 10 percent on admissions fees to events where more than 2,500 people would be in attendance. Coachella attracted more than 158,000 people to Indio over two weekends this past April. Under the now-suspended measure, Torres had hoped to raise between $4 and 6 million. Goldenvoice estimates that the festival currently generates more than $1.6 million to the city of Indio.

"I cannot in good conscience allow this to happen no matter how dire the city’s circumstances," he said via press release on the city's website. "My sincere hope is that we can now move past this episode and I personally look forward to working to enhance relationships."

Coachella has been held at the Empire Polo Club since its inception in 1999. Goldenvoice was considering canceling the 2014 festival while they searched for an alternate location near Indio for 2015.