While we continue the COVID doldrums with no tangible end in sight, the industry players are planning some huge moves for whenever events can return. Behind the scenes, there are some Game of Thrones level plays being made. Specifically, the Miami rumor mill is spinning a very juicy rumor about Insomniac’s future plans. Some very well-placed and knowledgeable sources have confirmed to EDMTunes that discussions are underway for Insomniac to bring at least one of its marquee festivals to Miami in 2022.
While this might seem crazy, the festival company has been laying the groundwork for this over the past few years. Since 2018, Insomniac snapped up Club Space along with its promotion group Link Miami Rebels. This gives Insomniac a stake in the underground III Points Festival, which is still on the schedule for this Spring. Add to that Okeechobee Festival and Boca Raton’s Forbidden Kingdom dubstep festival.
Insomniac has been surrounding Ultra Music Festival‘s turf at a time when the festival is in its most precarious position. After being kicked out of its home after 2018, the festival has been had a major stroke of bad luck. Beyond that, Ultra hasn’t done any favors with the way it handled its COVID cancelation in 2020 and communication with its fans in the months afterward. The festival is still listed as scheduled for March 2021, but nobody believes it will take place.
Insomniac, smelling blood, is rumored to bring Beyond Wonderland to Miami in 2022. Where could this go down? Look no further than a venue Ultra considered in 2019. The Homestead Speedway might not fit the Ultra brand, but a huge isolated speedway with a camping focus is no problem for Insomniac. With the power vacuum being left open by Ultra, Insomniac has the financial backing of Live Nation necessary to barge in and assuage the concerns of the Miami City Commission. Oh, and it gets better. Beyond Wonderland Miami is coming to the Homestead Speedway in March 2022. In many ways, this is a kill shot against Ultra. Sources say Beyond Wonderland will shift to become more of a house and techno-oriented festival, which will fit perfectly in the Miami scene.
Of course, to this point, nothing has been confirmed or announced, but Pasquale has teased some festival expansions and a new East Coast focus over the past several months. While this is still a rumor, we have high confidence that it’s accurate. Only time will tell when we will learn more about these plans, but we will keep you updated when we do.