Local officials announced Friday that the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference and festivals would be canceled over fears of spread of the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19.
Mayor Steve Adler said at a news conference, “I have issued an order that effectively cancels South by Southwest for this year.” Adler added that his decision came after consulting an advisory health panel.
“This is a medical and data-driven decision,” said Sarah Eckhardt, the head of the Travis County government, which has issued a seven-day emergency declaration.
Dr. Mark E. Escott, Austin’s Public Health Medical Director, said the cancellation would help Austin “prepare for the storm.” He likened the coronavirus to a storm out in the Gulf, saying we know it’s coming but we don’t know yet how hard it will hit.
There have been only six travel-related cases of COVID-19 in Texas as of Friday afternoon, according to the Department of State Health Services. That means that the disease isn’t yet spreading within Texas but instead has only been brought in from outside.
But officials fear that the SXSW conference could become a breeding ground for the disease as travelers from all across the world mix in crowded conference settings, concerts, and bars.
Last year the SXSW conference had 73,716 attendees from 106 countries. The economic impact of attendees was $182 million in 2019, SXSW organizers estimated, while the year-round operational impact of the SXSW organization itself was about $157 million.
On average, a registrant at SXSW spends five nights in Austin with a nightly room rate at $365.
“All (economic) ramifications are secondary to helping ensure we are safe as a community,” the mayor commented.
The SXSW organization itself issued a statement saying that it “will faithfully follow the City’s directions.” It added, “We are devastated to share this news with you. ‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will note take place.”
“We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented decision. As recently as Wednesday, Austin Public Health stated that ‘there’s no evidence that closing SXSW or any other gathering will make the community safer.’ However, this situation evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision.”
In addition to the SXSW cancellation, Stephanie Hayden, Director of Austin Public Health, said that the city planned to implement new regulations on mass public events. “Since this situation is rapidly evolving this will help us to mitigate the spread of disease,” she said.
The criteria for approving such gatherings would depend on factors including where participants were coming from, she said.
