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On the heels of San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones calling for the cancellation of Ye’s show at the Alamodome, six council members have issued support for keeping the rapper, who is also known as Kanye West, on the schedule.
The controversy over Ye’s appearance stems from hate speech and antisemitic remarks the performer has made that included Holocaust denial, according to statements from Jones and the councilmembers
The Jewish Federation of San Antonio has also condemned Ye's Alamodome appearance, which is scheduled for July 4.
Jones said on TPR’s "The Source" on Monday that the city should not allow Ye to play in the Alamodome, a city-owned facility.
“If he was performing at Fiesta Texas or Sea World, that's one thing. This is a city funded facility and I think, of all days, my goodness, the nation's 250th birthday, I think we as a community, I would argue have the opportunity to say that we want and deserve better,” she said.
Earlier this year, in January, Ye took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal apologizing for the antisemitic remarks.
That gesture has not garnered any acquiescence from some officials who called for cancellations of Ye’s concerts in Tampa next week.
Florida Senator Rick Scott has started a petition to cancel the Tampa shows on June 26 and 28, according to WUSF.
There was also a full-on U.K. festival cancellation back in April when the Wireless Festival in London was cancelled after the United Kingdom banned Ye from entering the country over his many remarks, saying he identified as a nazi and was selling t-shirts with swastikas, according to NPR. It has also been reported that in 2018, Ye said slavery was a choice.
While all sides of the San Antonio City Council say they denounce Ye's remarks, the mayor and a majority of the council differ on censorship.
An uncommon six-signature statement from members of the council was issued on Monday. In it were signatures from District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo, District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito, District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears, and District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte.
“We can condemn hate without resorting to censorship, which could set a precedent toward limiting expression based on objectionable viewpoints,” the statement said. “The City does not endorse his rhetoric by allowing use of a public venue, just as a public library does not endorse every book’s viewpoint simply by carrying it.”
The statement also said that the show at the Alamodome would bring in about $1.7 million and hotel reservations in the area were up 22%.
“These considerations do not diminish our opposition to hate in any form," the statement from the councilmembers continued. "We remain committed to ensuring that all communities feel welcome and safe in our city. San Antonio stands united against antisemitism and all forms of hatred, and we remain committed to fostering a community where everyone feels safe, welcome, and respected.”
As of Monday, the Alamodome concert had sold close to 50,000 tickets. About 14,000 were from Bexar County, 23,000 from other Texas counties, 15,400 from outside of Texas and 195 were sold internationally. According to a city spokesperson, the concert is expected to bring in about 60,000 people to the arena which seats about 65,000.
According to Ticketmaster, available tickets as of Tuesday evening ranged from $160 for upper-level seats to more than $640 for floor and standing-room-only tickets near the stage. Front-row seats cost more than $1,400.
According to the booking contract, the Alamodome would receive at least $400,000 for licensing fees for using the facility as well as a maximum $6.50 fee per ticket sold. Parking for the Alamodome is listed as $60 per passenger vehicle and $160 per bus.
The Alamodome staff is responsible for booking decisions.
“The Alamodome Staff reports to the City Manager who under the City Charter is responsible for managing City facilities," said a spokesperson for the City of San Antonio. "Once Alamodome staff books an event, conceptually, the City Council can direct the City Manager to cancel it.”
In order for the concert to be canceled, Jones would have been required to call a special meeting and have the council vote to direct the city manager to cancel the contract.
That vote would require six votes of the 11-member council. Since six members of the council have already stated they would not cancel on censorship grounds, that makes the outcome predictable.
“The only way to cancel this concert is to have a public vote, and we don't have the votes. We don't have the votes. Some folks have prioritized economic interests over what they say are their values, and that's just the moment in time that we're in, and it's really sad,” Jones said at a press conference at the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio on Tuesday.
The city council is on the verge of beginning its annual July recess. The last full council meeting before the break was held last week. The next time the full council convenes will be in August, leaving no opportunity for discussion of the issue, unless Jones calls for a special meeting before the scheduled show next week.
Still, in the unlikely event the council does vote and the concert is canceled, that could lead to First Amendment violations according to a national free-speech organization known as The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE.
Aaron Terr, FIRE's director of public advocacy, said the city-owned venue cannot deny access based on a performer's views.
"The Alamodome is owned by the City of San Antonio, which means it has to comply with the First Amendment," said Terr. "As a government entity, it can't deny access to the venue or cancel a show just because officials disagree with the performer's views or past comments."
The San Antonio Report's Andrea Drusch contributed to this story.
