Fitzhugh Neighbors to Host Benefit Concert to Fight Proposed Concert Venue

Fitzhugh Neighbors to Host Benefit Concert to Fight Proposed Concert Venue

In an effort to raise funds for combating the development of a new concert venue, the Fitzhugh Neighbors and the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) are hosting a benefit concert on May 18. Community members opposing the concert venue’s construction, initially proposed for Fitzhugh Road near Dripping Springs, have recently started the fundraising initiative.

Fitzhugh Neighbors and GEAA Collaborating for Community benefit Concert

The Fitzhugh Neighbors, a grassroots organization, and the GEAA, a non-profit dedicated to preserving local aquifers, are the hosts for this fundraising event. Audiences will enjoy performances by country music artists Robert Earl Keen, Tony Kamel, and Kym Warner.

“However, this event isn’t solely about advocacy—it’s also about celebrating our community and safeguarding its future,” GEAA Technical Director Mike Clifford said in a news release.

The Proposed Concert Venue

The venue proposed near the junction of Crumley Ranch and Trautwein Road on Fitzhugh Road could accommodate up to 5,000 individuals thrice a week, as well as providing parking for 2,000 cars. The local community has voiced their anxieties about the project since 2022, citing both safety and environmental concerns.

“We don’t have the infrastructure,” said Fitzhugh Road resident Steve Warntjes. “I’m talking about 14 miles of two-lane roads. They’re windy; they’re unlit. There’s no shoulders on any of these roads, and they were just never designed for that much volume.”

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has hosted two public hearings about the issue of the venue’s wastewater permit. One took place in November 2022 and the other in January, with an additional community forum led by Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra also in October.

Environmental Concerns

Residents expressed concerns about how the developer plans to limit runoff that could pollute local waterways. Despite the TCEQ asserting that the permit does not allow for the applicant to release any pollutants into the water, Clifford expresses concern about a potential combination of stormwater and wastewater runoff due to the venue’s substantial impervious coverage.

“We plan to develop a world-class and well-run venue near Dripping Springs that is respectful of our neighbors, the land, and the Hill Country’s unique character,” Bill LeClerc, director of real estate developments and investments at Lexor Investments, said in 2022. Lexor Investments is the parent company of Blizexas LLC, the company behind the proposed concert venue.

Upcoming Benefit Concert

Organizers have started to sell group tickets for the benefit concert, with general admission tickets being sold at $75 starting April 23. The concert will commence at 6 p.m. on May 18 at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center. More information can be found at www.fitzhughneighbors.org. Further details on permits filed by Blizexas can be accessible at www.tceq.texas.gov.

Residents of Dripping Springs are invited to participate in the event to protect their community and support Fitzhugh Neighbors in their fight against the concert venue’s potential development.