ST. LOUIS — A LouFest vendor's quest for damages went to trial this week, in a case involving allegations the music festival was mismanaged and brought out new information about its demise.
Evidence collected showed that money from sponsors, including the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, plus ticket sales totaled some $2 million, an attorney claimed in court Friday, yet the 2018 concerts in Forest Park never took place, a high-profile meltdown that led to the end of the popular festival that stretched back to 2010.
"Where did that money go?" said attorney Tom Magee, of HeplerBroom LLC.
After cancellation of the 2018 event, the event's principal executive, Mike Van Hee, blamed weather and the media. St. Louis Public Radio had reported that contractors booked to provide essential services were pulling out, and the Business Journal reported that Van Hee's old firm, which did work for LouFest, faced tax liens and was dissolved by the state.
Restaurants and vendors told the Business Journal after the cancellation that they figured they were out thousands of dollars, in part because Van Hee had said LouFest had debt from "previous events."
The current case, in St. Louis Circuit Court, dates to 2019. Chip Self and his Valley Park lighting and sound firm, Logic Systems Sound and Lighting Inc., sued the festival's two companies, LouFest LLC and Listen Live Entertainment LLC, plus their principal, Van Hee.
Earlier, Listen Live sued Logic Systems claiming Self sought to force the cancellation of the festival by speaking with the media so that he could acquire a stake in LouFest or offer a replacement event. Listen Live dismissed that case after roughly three months, but Logic Systems, in its own suit, alleged malicious prosecution, saying that Listen Live's suit was without merit and damaged its reputation.
A city jury heard closing arguments in that case Friday morning, then awarded Self $75,000 and Logic Systems $800,000.
Magee, representing Self, asked jurors to award damages of $4 million: $2 million for Self and $2 million for Logic Systems.
Read the full story on the St. Louis Business Journal's website.
