SAN BENITO — The city might be holding a music festival on the same weekend the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center had planned its annual Conjunto Festival.
Today, city commissioners are expected to consider launching the Resaca City Music Festival on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Yesterday, the city declined to disclose information about the event.
But earlier this month, the city announced it was considering staging a music event after the arts center canceled its 26th annual three-day Conjunto Festival.
“The city is exploring the possibility of creating some type of music/cultural event, not necessarily in response to the cancella-tion but as a means to help raise funds for the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum,” city spokeswoman Martha McClain stated earlier.
“It would not be a replacement of the Conjunto Festival,” she said. “Some early thoughts for the event include various genres of music, a car show an art exhibit and crafts.”
City Commissioner Esteban Rodriguez said the event would be held on Oct. 21 because some music fans might have already planned their visits to town that weekend.
“We didn’t want to change it for people coming to town,” Rodriguez said yesterday
Earlier this month, Rogelio Nuñez, founder of the arts center, canceled the Conjunto Festival after the city charged $17,365 in fees.
For years, the city had charged the arts center significantly lower fees, Nuñez said.
During negotiations, the city proposed dropping fees to $7,000 to cover expenses such as security costs.
But negotiations broke down.
The city was also negotiating the arts center’s lease of the old library building that served as its headquarters for more than two decades.
The city is drafting new contracts for organizations leasing city-owed buildings, McClain stated.
About 22 years ago, the city offered the arts center a $1-per-year lease. But that lease expired two years ago. About two weeks ago, the arts center vacated the old library building.
Nuñez has declined to disclose the arts center’s future.
