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SAN ANGELO — City Councilman Tommy Hiebert could not have been more clear Tuesday in expressing his reluctance to allow a rock concert at Lake Nasworthy scheduled later this spring.

Turning to San Angelo music promoter Ray Broadway, Hiebert said:

“If it doesn’t go well, I’m not sure you’ll ever do another event out there, and I’m just being as upfront with you as I possibly can. … If this doesn’t go well with noise, or time, or traffic … this will be the only event.”

Hiebert’s statement came after nearly 30 minutes of discussion during the Feb. 18, 2020, city council meeting on whether to grant Spring Creek Marina business owner Raymond Broadway permission to a hold a music concert at Lake Nasworthy.

The “Live 80” concert is planned for a newly leased area at Spring Creek Marina, 2680 Camper Road, on April 11, 2020. Broadway requested that music be performed from 7-10 p.m. the Saturday night before Easter to an anticipated crowd of 2,000-3,000 attendees, city documents state.

Concerts requiring sound systems and amplified music are not permitted on city-leased property at Lake Nasworthy under current ordinances without authorization from city council.

Hiebert, who represents the Lake Nasworthy area for District 1, grilled Broadway on issues concerning traffic, security, the availability of portable toilets, and especially noise.

“Your event goes from 7-10 p.m. I see that as problematic,” Hiebert said, then asked if Broadway would consider ending the concert earlier out of regard to Lake Nasworthy residents that Hiebert said might go to bed as early as 8 p.m.

“We chose (to end the concert) at 10 o’clock because the noise curfew is 10:30 p.m.,” Broadway said.

BYOB and security issues addressed

Broadway told council members that attendees were expected to bring their own alcoholic beverages, which raised concerns from city council about maintaining public safety.

With as many as 3,000 anticipated concert-goers, Hiebert asked an official with the San Angelo Police Department if there would be sufficient security.

“It’s a concern … because extra manpower is needed at the lake for (Easter) weekend,” said SAPD Assistant Chief Tracy Fincher.

Broadway said more than 20,000 people headed to Lake Nasworthy during last year’s Easter weekend, which factored into his decision to hold a concert at that time. He told city council extra security would be hired if needed.

Broadway said the event will be a ticketed concert and feature rock and pop music from the 1980s performed by one band.

“My concerns are for public safety,” Hiebert said. “And I understand, Mr. Broadway, you’re trying to make a business decision, so this conflicts me — I’ll be straight up.”

Concert to end at 10 p.m. no matter what

Hiebert said he had heard no complaints about the event from area homeowners, but requested the concert be shut down earlier than 10 p.m.

“I would say there would be a hard stop absolutely no later than 9 p.m. My preference would be 8 p.m., not having any idea when people go to bed,” Hiebert said.

Other council members expressed a willingness for the band to play later into the night.

“The noise level does seem to be the primary concern,” said District 6 council member Billie DeWitt. “If the ordinance says 10:30 p.m. right now, if we force Mr. Broadway to stop at 9 p.m., what’s to prevent some of the (concert attendees) going over to the park and turning up loud music?”

DeWitt said she felt the event would be good for the city and that shutting off the music at 10 p.m. was acceptable.

District 3 council-member Harry Thomas encouraged city council to weigh the future of utilizing the lake for future entertainment.

“I’m going to support what (Hiebert) has to say, but this is a Saturday night,” said Thomas. “Eight o’clock is probably a little early for any place in San Angelo when it comes to a band. The Blues Festival goes until 10:30 p.m.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to get entertainment at the lake. It’s got to be limited, maybe, but we’ve got to figure that out because there are a lot of people who would like to have some outdoor concerts in this community,” Thomas said.

More: Voters overwhelmingly say ‘yes’ to Lake Nasworthy upgrades

Broadway assured city council members that power to the stage would be shut off promptly at 10 p.m. whether the band was in the middle of a song or not.

After hearing from fellow council members, Hiebert appeared reluctantly to agree in allowing the band to play after 9 p.m.

“This goes against everything within my being,” Hiebert said. “But at this point, a hard stop at 10 p.m.”

Hiebert then cautioned Broadway that any deviation during the proposed concert could get it shut down at police discretion.

“If something jumps the track in terms of security, in terms of noise, in terms of traffic, in terms of crowd control … if we have issues that (Assistant Chief Fincher) is worried about public safety for whatever reason, we got a hard shut down at (Fincher’s) direction,” Hiebert said.

Hiebert made a motion to authorize Spring Creek Marina to hold the concert at Lake Nasworthy. City council unanimously approved the motion 7-0.

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John Tufts covers enterprise and investigative topics in West Texas. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.  Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com. 

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