FAIRGROUNDS GETS STRICTER ON STAGING OF 'RAVE' PARTIES

An all-night music event planned for Aug. 26 at the Pima County Fairgrounds
will be canceled unless the promoters can meet a strict list of conditions
laid down by the fairgrounds' governing board yesterday.

Those conditions include limiting attendance to 2,500 people, or about a
third of what was expected at the all-night "rave."

The commission also ordered an increased level of security using
commissioned police officers. The Pima County Sheriff's Department,
however, will not let its off-duty officers work the show.

Los Angeles-based Euphoric Empire Inc. must also provide a plan to assure
that there will be no illegal activity, particularly drug use, which is a
major concern of critics of raves.

The Southwest Fair Commission, which runs the fairgrounds on behalf of the
county, voted unanimously to cancel the event unless the promoters meet
and/or agree to the new conditions within a week.

Commissioner Marvin Selke said the commission has "an obligation to look at
this thing seriously and make sure we have a safe environment."

Darren Blatt, vice president of Euphoric Empire, which is promoting the
event, said the company will do everything it can to meet the conditions.
But when asked whether it can afford to bring in 36 entertainers, as
advertised, with restricted attendance, Blatt said the company shouldn't
have to.

Plans for the event have always included the use of outdoor areas
surrounding Thurber Hall, which would allow for a crowd of up to 10,000,
Blatt said.

The commission, however, voted to limit the event to Thurber Hall, which
has a capacity of 2,500. The commission said its contract with Euphoric
Empire says that's where it will take place.

Commission attorney Pat Lopez said that if more than 2,500 people show up,
"they'd have to be turned away."

Blatt said he had been working on a different plan with former fairgrounds
manager Jack Murphy and former events manager Mark Oliver since signing a
rental contract four months ago.

Tents and stages for three additional performance areas were to be set up
on the fairgrounds surrounding Thurber Hall, he said.

But Murphy resigned and Oliver's job was eliminated within the last two
weeks as sheriff's and county officials criticized the use of the
fairgrounds for raves.

Commission members said severe restrictions are needed because raves have a
reputation for drug activity.

They said buzzwords on an Internet Web site promoting the event - like the
advertising of a "chill room" - imply that drugs will be a part of the
experience.

A chill room is commonly an area where rave attendees take on water and try
to combat the increase in body temperature that often accompanies the use
of Ecstasy, one of the more popular drugs used by those who attend raves.

Blatt said the chill room at his event is just a tranquil area away from
the three main stages where people can relax. He said the offending
references on the Web site will be eliminated.

Original security plans for the event included 20 civilian security workers
and 10 off-duty police officers. Blatt offered to double that number if the
commission would allow the event to proceed as planned.

He said the requirement to hire commissioned police officers can be
fulfilled by recruiting from agencies other than the Sheriff's Department.