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From Jeryl Abramson (jeryl@Yasgursfarm.com)
April 26, 1997 response to our question "What's shakin'?"
As you know, June died and the property, which had been in the process of being sold for months, was indeed transferred to Alan Gerry's corporation, coincidentally, a week after she passed away.
Alan Gerry is a multi-billionaire. He started in Liberty, a town just north of us, in Sullivan County, selling appliances. He also installed antennas for televisions. Someone turned him on to the cable business and over the past 20 or 30 years he concentrated on that business, building up to the eighth largest cable business in the world. He sold the business to Time Warner about a year or two ago for over 2 billion dollars and stock options. They say he owns enough shares of Time Warner to accumulate to about 3% of the company. So, as you can see, he is substantial.
I don't know him personally, but this is what I DO know of him: He is a grassroots person. He is very intelligent. He does things the right way, meaning that he hires the best people and supervises them very well. He has integrity. Everyone that knows him likes him and respects him. Most people are happy that he is the one involved. He has his heart in Sullivan County. His two daughters talked him into this project because they love Woodstock and they don't want a stone turned on the field.
This is what he has done: For approximately 1 year, he has secretly, through several corporations that he owns, bought up approximately 1,000 acres of property surrounding the field. He paid well above market price for everything he bought and didn't pressure anyone that didn't want to sell. He did these transactions though "scouts" that he sent around. One of them was in contact with us all winter. We never knew who this person represented. They did purchase one small piece that connects us to the side road so now they touch our property on the north side. They have pretty much stopped purchasing since they announced their intent.
It will be at least 6 months before they even sit down to plan. He intends to hire the definitive experts in developing a project of this magnitude from around the world. That is typically how he does everything. I don't believe they will do anything to the actual site, but they will connect to the site from whatever they do.
The announcement created a wave of traffic to my site. All indications are that this summer will be very busy here. We have the only music in town so far. But, Bethel is now, finally, coming into it's own. It's amazing to me that everyone that comes to either the field or my house (Max's house) remarks about the "Vibe" they get. I actually see peoples' expressions change as they look around.
Even as we speak, a vigil is being held at the field. I was just there and there is a party going on there. I think it's going to get bigger every weekend. People are coming from all over to visit it. We're going back there tonight, just to observe, of course :). If Gerry does do anything to change the field he'll have to bulldoze over a sea of people. I don't think the people will tolerate development there. I think it will work out for everyone's best interest and we should continue to believe that until we hear otherwise. We didn't come this far with this to have it destroyed. One thing that is continually repeated in the papers is that Mr. Gerry is interested in what the people want and will not go against the flow, so to speak. It would be silly for him to develop something that no one wants to go to. He is a very respectful person.
Realistically, Woodstock does need substantial backing. I can tell you first hand that a free concert is very expensive to produce. The fact that we don't have to spend money on advertising is a great benefit, but, when people work, they should get paid. When taxes are due, they need to get paid. The electricity to run the event is not free; the water facilities cost money. The maintenance of the stage and sound equipment is expensive along with a host of other "miscellaneous" costs. Unfortunately, there is no free ride anywhere. We need someone with the capital that can come in and "free' this up.
We're ready for all the people that this is attracting here. We're the only ones this year. I think we always knew that other people and developers would get in on it, and hopefully we have the right group here. Remember, Woodstock belongs to everyone, no matter who owns the property.
Take care and stayed tuned. I'll keep you posted.
Jeryl