The Feds Are Going To Burning Man, Too — In A $1 Million Compound Complete With Air Conditioning And Ice Cream

Sex, drugs, and techno dubstep in the desert. The feds are coming to Burning Man too, but they’ll be relaxing in an air-conditioned compound with soft serve ice cream.

The Bureau of Land Management is refusing to grant a permit for the Burning Man music and culture festival unless organizers pay more than $1 million for a lavish compound, complete with portable showers, washers and dryers, air conditioning, refrigerators, and flush toilets.

The BLM’s district manager, Gene Seidlitz, told the San Francisco Chronicle his agents need the amenities to oversee the Burning Man festival.

“A lot of folks think we’re like participants in that we are out there to enjoy the event and party. But my staff and I have to be rested, well-nourished and accommodated to the bare minimum so we can ensure health, security and safety at the event.”

Burning Man organizers, however are balking at the request, saying the demands by the feds are extravagant and unnecessary, and United States Senator Harry Reid agrees.

When the Reno Gazette-Journal first publicized the agency’s demands, Reid penned a letter, calling the requests outlandishly unnecessary.

Seidlitz defended the requests, saying the lavish amenities were needed for senior leaders.

The agency regularly oversees the Burning Man festival, which has grown to 700,000 participants with 160 agents, but Seidlitz plans to use the $1 million compound to house 15 to 20 top officials. Those top leaders will probably be members of Congress and Department of Interior and Justice officials.

During past Burning Man celebrations, members of the BLM have been housed in nearby hotels 15 miles away, but Seidlitz told the San Francisco Chronicle the nearby compound, set up 1 mile away, will save time.

“I have nowhere to put these senior leaders for a good night’s rest. They come out to interact… and ensure what I’m doing is meeting their intent.”

Luxury accommodations have been set up in Burning Man before, but they’ve been paid for by celebrities and other wealthy attendees. This is the first time organizers have been asked to foot the bill.

The Burning Man festival, which brings in nearly $44 million to Nevada, has yet to receive its permits, and Sen. Reid, along with state Republicans, want to make sure it goes on as planned.

The Burning Man weeklong celebration of self-expression started as a dance party that has morphed into an international music festival is important to the state, and government leaders want to make sure it continues.

[Photo by David McNew / Newsmakers / Getty Images]