OCEAN CITY – To the dismay of many, Founders Entertainment has announced that it will be postponing this summer’s music festival until the summer of 2013.
“We reached out to a variety of headline talent since we got council approval, and the timeline was too tough to work with for everyone,” Founders Entertainment Festival Project Manager Tom Russell said. “Most bands route their summer plans at the end of the preceding summer, so time was never on our side, and all bands either had other plans set in stone or were not available for recording or personal reasons. We want the festival to be a major, marquee event, with top tier talent, and because that was not possible in 2012, we are formally asking the town for 2013.”
The last The Dispatch heard from Founders Entertainment was that a line-up for the event was aimed to be released by February. The music festival was approved by the Mayor and City in October. The event was to be a two-day music and arts festival with three stages on the beach held on June 2-3.
Mayor Rick Meehan said that he respects the decision to take a step back from the event to ensure its success.
“This is a big event, a big undertaking, and I would like to make sure that when they move forward they are confident that they are going to be successful and provide the level of entertainment that I know they are looking to have,” he said.
Meehan added that the cancellation of the music festival will have no effect on Ocean City this summer.
“It will be a nice enhancement to tourism, but I don’t think it is going to have a significant impact this year as far as the numbers of people that come,” he said. “We will look forward to some increases that I think we will certainly get from the event next year, but I think making sure the event is successful and meets the level of their expectations is the most important thing.”
Tourism Director Deb Turk said Founders Entertainment is waiting to go before the Mayor and Council within the next couple of months to make an official announcement and to ask for a postponement until next summer.
“I really advocated hard for it and personally am disappointed,” she said.
On the upside, the town is currently working with the Baltimore Ravens’ corporate office on the June Ravens Roost weekend and “painting the town purple.”
Proposed activities while the Ravens are in Ocean City included a concert and corporate planned on working on a partnership with Founders Entertainment to provide a concert.
The music festival was proposed to include art, beach games and sponsor activities that will complement the music. Talent that were to be targeted included Paul Simon, Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mumford and Sons, Florence & The Machine, Adele and many more.
Founders Entertainment has estimated that the economic impact on Ocean City will be upwards of $20 million, based on studies of similar festivals held around the country. Russell proposed $1 of every ticket sale will be given to the Town of Ocean City as a facility fee, a revenue share of 7.5 percent of net food and beverage sales up to $100,000 and will reimburse the town for any city resources used, such as police or fire department assistance.
Founders Entertainment is a partnership run by experienced music industry personnel who have managed and booked some of the biggest live music events in the United States. Other events the team has had part in is the Governors Ball Music Festival, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, All Good Music Festival & Campout and many more.