GULF SHORES, Ala. — What do you get when you combine a big-time entertainment producer, a world renowned project management company, experienced security and safety personnel, a marketing company that is second to none, 35,000 music lovers and the beach?  You get Gulf Shores’ first Beach Music and Arts Festival slated for third weekend of May, 2010.

Shaul Zislin, owner of The Hangout, presented a proposal to the Gulf Shores City Council on Monday, hoping they will consider a three-day music and art festival along the public beach in Gulf Shores that will rival other music festivals across the southeast.

The proposal for the event has it tentatively slated for May 14-16, 2010, running from noon until 11 p.m. each day. The main entrance for the music festival would be where Highway 59 dead-ends into Beach Boulevard, between The Hangout and Surf Style.  

The public beach area from the Pink Pony Pub going west to the end of the public beach would be the boundaries for the event, with continuous live music on each of the four stages, and a headliner playing each evening on the main stages. The proposal states that the music acts would be national touring artists of a tasteful nature.

Zislin said he will spend $3 million to make the event happen and has lined up first class agencies to help make it a reality.

If the festival is approved, it will be produced by HUKA Entertainment.  HUKA was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Mobile. HUKA currently produces more than 100 events per year across the country.

Optimal Production Services would be behind the development and execution of the event. OPS has served management duties with such events as the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Jamcruise, the first major music festival aboard a cruise ship, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival, Rothbury Music Festival and many other music events. OPS is the foremeost authority on mass gatherings and festivals site logistics.

Security, which is a great concern for an event such as this, would be provided by Event Operations Group, the leading public safety service company in the Southeast. Event Operations Group deploys thousands to manage events safely at places such as Bryant-Denny Stadium at The University of Alabama, Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, The Wharf, Talladega Motor Speedway and also has security contracts with ESPN, Speed Channel and The Home Depot.

If things go as planned, the event would be a ticketed event with a paid attendance capped at 35,000 participants, with the majority of tickets sold as weekend passes. Other event personnel including volunteers, security, medical personnel, media and event producers is estimated at 500 people per day.

The council approved a resolution that will give Zislin and his team more time to develop and plan the event. Another proposal officially approving the festival will be presented at a later date.