Trashing of the stadium
Sunday, October 2nd was filled with the sounds of live music from extremely talented Brazilian bands coming from the Veterans Memorial Stadium. Neighbors couldn’t understand any of the loud lyrics but the music was great and concert goers enjoyed it very much. A gentle mist was blowing through when the sun set. The images on the screen were vibrant in the midst of the lights and patches of fog.
We had not heard anything about that event. When we approached the area, and became curious seeing the crowd and the gigantic stage they had built so we hung around for a few minutes. While talking to some people I got some of the details I will mention below.
The night was cool but there was plenty of hot food and nothing a coat or sweater couldn’t fix. But for the people in the party, the weather really did not matter. What was keeping them warm was beer.
Beer. Lots and lots of beer. Based on how many party-goers were so drunk they went bonkers. If there were 8,000 people in attendance, I would guess that five beers were sold for every one person in attendance. They probably sold more. They completely sold out of water. 8,000 people drinking all that beer and water creates a serious logistical problem; where do you put all of the pee?
Yes, pee. Urine. The portable toilets were for sure overflowing. The wait to use one was very long and someone we spoke to said that he decided to leave and avoid the experience altogether. Others chose to stay and pee wherever they felt was private enough. There was no privacy anywhere!
At first, only guys came to mind but then I heard about women exposing themselves in front of the men urinating behind the seats.
Television reporters said the stench of alcohol will permeate the stadium for weeks. I screamed at the TV! It’s not alcohol; It’s urine!
All of that partying created a mess and even left the stadium damaged. The next day I saw on Facebook that Mayor Rivera issued a statement addressing the damage. He wants to appear like a tough guy but his administration’s negligence and incompetence is painfully obvious. It is unfortunate that there were some problems after the event but with proper planning and supervision this could have been avoided and the post-event media “story” about a trashed stadium has been a fiasco.
If there was a contract, was there a security deposit? The promoters made $400,000 in pre-event sales. They certainly had the money for a deposit. Why the posturing about a lawsuit by Mayor Rivera? There is a contract and I’m sure the promoters wouldn’t risk losing the chance to return to the stadium as its location is perfect and it can be used for a bargain. Why not simply ask the promoters to comply with paying for clean-up and the repairs and keep a good working relationship with the festival planners? Increased exposure for the stadium as a venue for such events is invaluable.
Did anyone in Mayor Rivera’s administration think to include overtime for DPW and Inspectional Services into the contract? Where were city inspectors when workers were setting up for the show? Considering there was school the next day, there should have been overnight crews on clean-up duty paid for by the organizers of the festival. Judging by the overflow of trash in the barrels, no one bothered to empty them.
This was not their first time in Lawrence. A few years ago, the city charged them $25,000 with very rigid specifications: They had to cover the turf to prevent damage and they had to build the stage on wooden planks. No trucks could drive over the turf, beer could be sold from the concession stand only, city workers were attentive to trash barrels emptying them and replacing bags when necessary, city personnel worked throughout the day and concert hours making sure the rules were followed, and there was something very clear about the cleanup in their contract.
Zulma Montañez worked all day during the set up and preparations; Patrick Blanchette (who was in charge of the stadium at that time) was present during the concert; DPW crews arrived before the event ended ready for the cleanup and the organizers had to stay past midnight until they were finished. Everything was under the watchful eye of City Councilor Marc Laplante who was taking pictures all afternoon and evening.
This year, the Veterans Memorial Stadium is under the management of Abel Vargas, director of economic development for the city although I am told he did not attend at any time on Sunday. Also responsible is Laiza Lizardo St. Onge that I don’t know what she’s doing these days but does work at the stadium, too. They both should be fired for the damage they have done to the stadium, the city’s finances, and the reputation of us all.
I wanted to see if the contract they agreed to explained the rules and conditions so I requested a copy under the Freedom of Information Act which I received from the mayor’s office within a few hours.
The contract is signed but it says it is a “draft”; they assured me it is the final contract and it is very explicit. The city received only $20,000 from the promoters and instructed them to arrange for security directly with the Lawrence Police Department. Police Chief James Fitzpatrick told me that there were 26 police officers assigned to the event throughout the day. The peak force of officers present was 19 and the total bill for police was $12,180.00.
They were also told to obtain a one-day liquor license from the Licensing Commission which was surprising being a school facility next to the high school. That permit allowed only for dispensation of beer and wine, no hard liquors of any kind yet, they found nips and bottle of hard liquor among the trash.
When it comes to the trash issue, the contract says that they “are responsible for providing trash removal services at the conclusion of the event. Licensee may contract a trash removal company on its own or pay an additional fee for the City to arrange for removal. Such arrangement must be made and agreed upon prior to the event.”
Regarding damages, it clearly states that “the Licensee shall reimburse the City for any damage to the Premises arising as a result of or during the Licensee’s use and occupation including damage done by spectators or individuals who enter pre Premises as a result of the Licensee’s actions during the periods of the Licensees occupancy.”
It also calls for a certificate of insurance naming the City as an insured in a minimum amount of $250,000 for property damage and up to 1 million for public liability. If there was such insurance policy, there will not be any need to take the organizers to court as Mayor Dan Rivera has said he is going to do. (Go to page 22 and see the notice of a public audience at which time the City Council will consider the approval of $875,000 that Mayor Dan Rivera has requested to cover the stadium’s repairs.) The reality of it is that the city only received the binder.
Considering that it was a poorly-written contract, (signed only by Abel Vargas, director of business and economic development, missing signatures by the city attorney and the mayor of the city and there is no date on it) I bet the city will lose in court because of DPW’s absence at the stadium.
The festival was really a great time. It was an opportunity for people to celebrate the Brazilian culture and give the city regional exposure. It is unfortunate that there was some damage to the stadium which is expected at events with such large crowds.
This was an opportunity to grow and change the city’s image. Instead, it became more of the same; just more negative media coverage in our city. After a while, people will only remember that it happened in Lawrence, not that they were outsiders in our city.
The only thing that really bothers me about a mess that can be cleaned up and damage that can eventually be repaired is the fact that it is even a news story. This made network news while none of the shootings of the last several weeks has made any headlines.
Maybe next year’s festival, should it return, will have worked out all of the kinks and inspectors can prevent problems before they become a media story.
There was a Brazilian music festival held at Veterans Memorial Stadium Sunday, October 2. It was a great event and highlighted the versatility, accessibility, and value of the stadium as a sought after venue in the area.
Wouldn’t that have made a better read in the newspapers?
See pictures on pages 6 and 7.
