Commentary: Downtown ‘transformation’ shouldn’t leave out X-Fest fans

On Tuesday, the Modesto City Council will begin discussing an entertainment permit for X-Fest. Typically, this 16-year tradition has been quickly approved.

This year, Galletto Ristorante spearheaded a campaign to remove X-Fest from our downtown. The restaurant collected a total of 13 signatures, representing 12 businesses. Of those, two have since rescinded their signatures and half are located outside the festival footprint.

On the opposite side of that metaphorical X-Fest fence, 84 percent of businesses within festival boundaries have signed a petition in favor of the event. In addition, there are 3,000 signatures from X-Fest supporters and over 100 letters of endorsement from patrons and small business owners who would be adversely affected by the event’s closure.

The report given to council members from city staff shows a clear preference for one restaurant and one particular type of clientele over the desires of the majority and with little regard to the businesses who benefit from X-Fest.

“Staff has a list of signatures gathered by Galletto Ristorante, an important fine dining establishment in the downtown, opposing the event,” reads the report. And “over the years, downtown has transformed, with more fine dining establishments.”

The claim that downtown has transformed into a fine-dining center implies the area is perhaps no longer suited for X-Fest. However, the only two fine-dining restaurants to have opened in recent years have both given permission for X-Fest to continue.

Downtown has not transformed in the way city staff wants to see. Their vision of a perfectly homogenous strip of high-priced eateries does not jibe with the diversity and vibrancy X-Fest brings. Downtown’s transformation is not happening organically, but rather through the steady eradication of establishments and events that don’t make the “fine dining” cut.

Once a vibrant hub, downtown no longer has a wide variety of eating, drinking and entertainment options. X-Fest is a one-night reprieve for those who otherwise suffer from perpetual Modesto ennui, lamenting the lack of activity among the linen tables of “important” downtown restaurants. It’s one night where they can forget – or pretend – that Modesto is not constantly listed as one of the most boring (or miserable) cities in which to live.

If the existence of any event were based solely on the financial gains of every individual business downtown, there would be an end to all street functions. There would be no parades, no Grafitti celebrations, no marathons.

The city approved spending $75,000 to house and feed Amgen riders in hopes the races will someday return to Modesto. X-Fest is here now, and generates a cool $1.75 million for local businesses. Giving into the demands of Galletto Ristorante says one thing: Keep your $1.75 million, folks. Your money is not as green as theirs.

The city’s message is clear: One restaurant, for one night, is more important than an entire class of people. The view of city staff apparently does not include the X Fest crowd; apparently, they prefer those in sport coats sipping fine wines.

A “no” vote on X-Fest’s permit tells the 3,000 individuals who signed the “Keep X-Fest Alive” petition, and the 17,000 people who attend and the 59 businesses who gave their permission: You do not matter. You are not as important as Galletto. You do not fit into what we, the city, envision as our ideal clientele. You are not fully welcome. A “no” vote tells us, in certain terms, that basic democracy doesn’t matter.

It tells us that even though many more have spoken in support, the opinions of a few hold more weight than the opinions of the many. We are not all equal here.

This story was originally published April 3, 2016 at 8:19 PM with the headline "Commentary: Downtown ‘transformation’ shouldn’t leave out X-Fest fans."