BANGOR, Maine — Both Waterfront Concerts and the American Folk Festival had new five-year leases approved unanimously by the City Council on Monday night, but organizers of the KahBang Music and Art Festival will have to wait another three weeks.
Because of a perceived discrepancy concerning blackout dates — calendar dates that both the American Folk Festival and KahBang select to hold their concurrently running events to give them exclusive use of the Waterfront Pavilion — the council voted 5-3 to postpone a vote to approve a long-term lease until the council’s Aug. 13 meeting.
Joshua Gass, KahBang’s creative director, came to the public microphone in front of the council just before the scheduled vote to voice concerns that some of the contract language might not be correct. He specifically referred to contract language calling the annual festival a two-day, and not four-day, event.
Gass said while the music festival would be four days this year, only two would be spent at the Pavilion site. One would be centered in downtown Bangor and the other would be at the festival campsite, which is located behind The Sports Arena property off outer Hammond Street near the Hermon-Bangor line.
Councilor Pat Blanchette made a motion to delay the approval vote until the next council meeting and it was seconded. Councilors James Gallant and Sue Hawes voiced concerns that delaying the vote might also necessitate delaying the ensuing votes for both Waterfront Concerts and the American Folk Festival, which will take place Aug. 24-26 this year.
Councilors Hawes, Gallant and Charlie Longo were the three “no” votes against Blanchette’s motion. Councilor Nelson Durgin was absent Monday night.
Gass said delaying an approval vote would not affect this year’s festival, which will run Aug. 9-12.
The approval votes terminate current contracts and make 2012 the first year of the new five-year deals.
“Certainly, it will add to the efficiency to what both the city and each event organizer is doing,” said Bangor Parks and Recreation Department director Tracy Willette. “It’ll streamline the process so now we can just pick up at the beginning of each season with dates rather than start all over with a new deal.”
The contracts for Waterfront Concerts and KahBang are close to identical, with both required to pay Bangor $1.25 for every ticket sold and reimburse the city for any incurred expenses, including need for services such as emergency, sanitation or parks and rec.
Previously, contracts with KahBang, now in its fourth year, and Waterfront Concerts, now in its third, were for one year at a time. The folk festival’s current lease was for three years.
“What this allows us to do is now we can hold dates a year or two away for acts requesting them,” said Waterfront Concerts promoter Alex Gray. “This gives us a lot more long-range flexibility and opportunity.”
The folk festival is exempted from the $1.25 payments as it does not charge admission.
“Two groups sell tickets, while the folk festival is unique because it’s a free admission event,” Willette explained. “As things develop and improvements are made down there, we’ll be able to come back and negotiate terms as we go.”
The city has agreed to continue with in-kind support for the American Folk Festival with an annual amount not to exceed $50,000, as long as the event remains free and open to the public.
An exclusive portion of the contract between Bangor and Waterfront Concerts calls for a 50/50 split of parking fees collected from parking at Pickering Square Garage. The city keeps 100 percent of all other parking revenue during shows.
Another wrinkle in the Waterfront Concerts contract is language concerning construction of a new, permanent amphitheater.
“Additionally, the agreement anticipates that the City will construct a new, permanent concert venue within five years. The new agreement provides that both parties will negotiate terms and conditions for the use of a permanent concert venue once construction has been completed and it is ready for use,” reads the council agenda’s executive summary.
The contract itself calls for both parties to negotiate an amendment to this agreement or a separate agreement regarding each party’s financial contribution to construction for the permanent concert venue, including cost of power, fencing/screening and a sound study.
“There are still a lot of things that need to be done,” said Gray. “We have to push forward and make sure we continue to do a great job and work together to make a permanent amphitheater a reality in Bangor.
“I’m happy to see this latest development in our relationship with the city. It’s further progress, as well as a sign that the city and the council are headed in the right direction.”
“Councilors James Gallant and Sue Hawes voiced concerns that delaying the vote might also necessitate delaying the ensuing votes…
Copy desk, how about “Councilors James Gallant and Sue Hawes voiced concerns that delaying the vote might also delay the ensuing votes…”
“Necessitate” — blech.
I believe that they do this on purpose with mis spelling etc to drive traffic and ad revenues no one could be this bad and be in the business
“An exclusive portion of the contract between Bangor and Waterfront Concerts calls for a 50/50 split of parking fees collected from parking at Pickering Square Garage.”
Why is Waterfront Concerts getting any of the money? The city owns the garage, which is almost a half-mile from the concert venue.
If you wanted to be part of the negotiations, you should have ran for the council. Why try to second guess something arraigned by the people we elected to do this?
And you never have an opionon of local, state or national politics?
When we elect people to represent us, we are not waiving our responsibility as citizens to ensure that our representatives — in this case the City Council — are looking out for the city’s interests. We are not waiving our right to question and challenge those who govern in our name.
When we elect anyone to any office, we are not giving them the authority to do anything without question.
Congrats to Waterfront Concerts, AFF and the Bangor City Council! Another big step towards our future is secured. And soon KahBang will join the ranks. These three event producers have done more for our city than anyone can imagine. And with Penn National and Hollywood Casino, Global Spectrum and the Cross Insurance Event Center (Cross Center), we are building and growing Bangor into a major entertainment destination- and from that you will see great things. I want to give thanks (from the majority) to these Kings of Queen City. They are sturdy in their belief that we can become that destination. We have the greatest council a city could ask for and we also have the greatest people who want to do business with us. Why? Because they believe as well… Never slow down!
Why have a “Folk Festival”
just take the kids to pickering square or by the hope house around 6-7pm daily..
What the heck are you talking about? Have you actually been to the Folk Festival, or are you just a hater of the idea?
Use the term “hate” as often as possible. Shame you couldn’t squeeze “bigot” or “racist” in there too. [rolls eyes]
I have been to the park to see what the problem is and never saw the issues talked about. I saw families walking their kids through there with no problem at all.
It is more scary to think that there are people who want to rate/grade/ evaluate who gets to use the park then the people who use it.
I know I often joke on here – but for once I’ll tell you the truth. When I was downtown last month for the Zac Brown concert while I was waiting in line a homeless man walked up and down the line asking people for “50 cents”. I didn’t look at him and he just stood there like he expected me to shelve out my hard earned money. At the same concert I saw someone’s dead body in the street after they got hit by a drunk and hit and run driver.
Everytime I go to bangor now there are people on the outlets onto Stillwater in front of Wal-Mart, and by Texas Roadhouse and Home Depot – people holding signs asking for money. The last time I was in Pickering Square – about 3 months ago I saw 2 black males arguing, and about 2 months before that saw a hypodermic needle in the street. Around the same time I went to Paddy Murphy’s for a drink and they had a car accident where someone with a pole in a car through it into another car.
The list continues but some other beauties are:
-Watching a young adult woman pushing a baby carriage around downtown while smoking
-Shaw’s about 4 years ago a black male accosted me for 50 cents for a bus ride
-People by the USS Maine memorial next to the homeless shelter sleeping on the benches in broad daylight
-Prostitutes by the Main Tavern on several occasions
-People pawning gift cards at the pawn shops
-Homeless allowed to sleep in the park downtown
Thats why I don’t go to concerts, because of panhandlers. LOL.
As for the driver of the hit and run I never heard that she was drunk. this is the first.
Good gracious, it sounds like you were in a city!
“At the same concert I saw someone’s dead body in the street after they got hit by a drunk and hit and run driver.”
And you know the driver was drunk how?
How do you think they feel in Boston, New York, LA, NJ? You know, BIG cities.
Greed is driving people away. My wife and I, A close friend, his wife, and another couple attended expensive rescent concerts. Very high anticapation soon ended, and some of us had to leave midway or sooner. Something other friends have reenterated as well. The seats were/are packed so close together people cannot enjoy watching. People stand up and even stand on chairs; preventing those who need or want to sit the ability to enjoy the concert. PLEASE seperate the seats and either raise the stage or install stairstep seating. Thank you. Dennis B.
Greed is driving people away. My wife and I, A close friend, his wife, and another couple attended expensive rescent concerts. Very high anticapation soon ended, and some of us had to leave midway or sooner. Something other friends have reenterated as well. The seats were/are packed so close together people cannot enjoy watching. People stand up and even stand on chairs; preventing those who need or want to sit the ability to enjoy the concert. PLEASE seperate the seats and either raise the stage or install stairstep seating. Thank you. Dennis B.
Who sits down to watch a Concert? I bet that makes the Artist feel like they’re really revving up the crowd!
The Tea-bags in Bangor are already working to prevent the construction of the amphitheater, like black flies at a picnic.
And the flea bags are always anxious to spend other people’s money
you have to spend money to make money
You have to spend the taxpayers money to make money for a few.. = corporate welfare
So you would rather have the downtown area look like some of the downtown areas in Ohio I saw recently? Boarded up store fronts, overgrown lots, etc…
The Waterfront Concert Series and the American Folk Festival gives a much needed influx of $$$$$ into the local economy. That money would not be coming to Bangor without these events.
Well said. Some people aren’t looking for anything logical, they can’t be bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
I was looking at the city budget under corporate welfare and didn’t see the money their to build one..
100 millon spent so far and it’s not enough for you?
Ummmm – nobody has spent $100 Million on an amphitheater. We spent a little more than half of that on an unrelated civic center/auditorium. And for the record, no – I don’t have a problem with government investing tax resources in infrastructure development projects. That’s the whole point of government.
arena and waterfront project, I like you twist (-.
Different projects. What’s next, you going to lump in the fire department budget along with the arena?
Arena project = municipal bonds = income from Hollywood Slots being used to pay back the bonds over a 20 year period.
Waterfront project = TIF
And why spend your own money when you can spend someone else’s?
Because Mr. Gray asked for half of the money and the city gave it to him! He has to recoup the $1.25 per ticket cost somewhere
Mr. Gray has done more for the City of Bangor than you possibly could sitting behind a computer.
Congratulations to all party’s! Great news for the city and Greater Bangor in general.
I wish the city would build me an amphitheater!
Nice! We needed some good news.
Eric are you a Bangor property tax payer?
Edit, no need to answer. Hampden.
Nope, not a Bangor property owner, but I do pay state and federal taxes, and I’m quite certain that Bangor accepts and uses state and federal funding. Get off your high horse.
Bravo Eric….Bravo!!
Well said sir…
Well said, plenty of trolls on this site who have no motive other than to argue or raise conspiracies.