By ISABELLA HALILI

This weekend Miami will be hosting the annual Ultra Music Festival as it comes back to Miami for the 18th time.

This electronic dance music festival started in Miami in 1999 by two entrepreneurs, Russell Faibisch and Alex Omes. The first festival they ever hosted was only one day, but now the organization has grown to host three full days of music.

Construction for this massive event started on Wednesday and has caused much distraction in downtown Miami since then. There has been many complaints from Miamians asking Ultra to find a better, less distracting venue.

Although there are many who have complained, locals acknowledge the fact that the Ultra Music Festival is economically beneficial to the city. It causes international attention and it’s always a sold out event.

Most locals who don’t attend the event just choose to flee the downtown area for the weekend.

The Miami Herald wrote about Miami’s mixed feelings about the festival. How it’s a real distraction to people who work and live downtown, but how this festival does end up benefiting the city more than distracting it. The Miami New Times came out with an article to help drivers in Miami avoid traffic, but also wrote about the lineup of the festival. Sun Sentinel wrote an article about the addition of trains to transport music festival goers.

I think the news media based in Miami has made a big deal to note that the Ultra Music Festival is in town this week. They are giving free publicity to this music festival, while also giving publicity to their own city, which in the end will only benefit the city as a whole.