MSGE Music Festival: The Dolans Try To Sell The Good People of Springfield a Monorail

Now that every other major live entertainment company has thrown their proverbial hats into the music festival ring it must be time for The Dolans to give it a shot.

For the past few months Madison Square Garden Entertainment has been trying to get approval to throw a three-day festival reminiscent of Bonnaroo and Rothbury in the sleepy Upstate town of Springfield once each year.

But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for a company used to getting its way:

Still, opponents say, that’s a far cry from what Madison Square Garden Entertainment has proposed for the sloping, verdant pair of farms just south of U.S. Route 20. Baseball fans and opera lovers, they suggest, will be much better behaved than 75,000, mostly 20-somethings camping on an open field for a long weekend of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.

“These people are here to party their freaking heads off,” said Maureen Culbert, whose home built in 1813 sits directly across Route 20 from the festival site. “They chose this little Podunk town because they think they’re going to be able to do all their drugs and alcohol without getting caught.”

We were thinking the citizens would object to a company with little experience in throwing these kinds of events coming into town, but instead the good people of Springfield are focusing on the flashier issues. No problem Springfield, I’m sure “Straight Shot” Jimmy and MSGE can just take their annual drug-fueled orgy to Shelbyville.

But seriously, this isn’t 1969 anymore. The days of free love are over and many of the people attending festivals are in their 30s, 40s and 50s with plenty of money to burn. How can the town say no to this incredible opportunity to throw millions of dollars into their hurting economy for a week of aggravation each year? You know we haven’t heard the last of this story. We’ll keep you updated.

• Cooperstown Crier: Town Planners Take Lead In MSG Review
• The Post Standard: How Plans for a Woodstock-type Festival Have Thrown A Small Town Into Tailspin