|
Please delete the comments that are libelous and malicious regarding my stealing funds of 600 grand etc. It just isn't so! The IFC (Paul Smith, so it was reported) was mad that their fight was cancelled and has apparently made up these libelous and untrue statements. In fact, we paid the IFC $76,000 upon signing of their contract and another $76,000 was due the day of the fight (Saturday). It is true that I was the managing member of Sturgis 2004, llc and it is a fact that as managing member, I closed the Sturgis Music Festival after only three night's of artist performances for two main reasons -lack of attendance and no funds available to continue the performances. It was strictly a business decision with no chips left to put into the pot and I don't know of any poker player that would continue to add additional money (if you were allowed to dig) into the pot with this hand. For your information, the paid attendance was dismal, 548 on opening night with Creedence Clearwater Revisted and Bad Company's - Paul Rodgers, Sunday, the Rock Never Stops had 552 paid, and on Monday night - Hank Williams, Jr. a paid attendance of 1501. The total box office receipts for these three nights was approximately $100,000 of which Sturgis 2004, llc had to pay Hank Williams, Jr $75,000 as a final payment before he played on Monday night.(By the way, all artists were paid 50% of their contract at signing and the balances are due after sound check the day of their performance.) The balance of the Festival was Classic Rock Night with a prepaid box office attendance totaling 252, followed by BB King with 605, then Las Vegas Night with 20, then on Friday night with Comic Relief of 35, and finally, the IFC with 36 advance paid. Does that sound like a hand any of you would play? By the way, the venue held 15,000 and we built stadium type bleachers that held approx 7,000 people. It was a beautiful setup! Overall the venue was Class A. Everything looked great except nobody came to dinner! It is true there were approximately 500,000 bikers who entered Sturgis but they were more interested in riding their motorcycles around the Black Hills of South Dakota during the day and at night they basically went back to their campgrouds to relax. They didn't come to Sturgis to witness any Music Festival. In my opinion, they were there to ride there bikes and admire both their bike and everyone elses. The only music that they were interested in is what was being served up at their local campgroud in my opinion. Yes, our investment group Sturgis 2004, llc lost everything we invested and none of our group is happy about the experience. However, it is one thing to lose money in a business and another to have someone lie and makeup malicious statements that are totally unfounded. On the internet, it is so easy for one internet site to write what someone says and then have other internet sites pick this garbage up as fact. I could go on and on...but what's the use. Many of you know me and I rely on your each of you to know what I stand for; I'll bet the pot or go All-in but would never run off with someone's else money - not even a penny! I did everything possible to make this event successful. In the end, on Tuesday morning, once our controller gave me the paid attendance figures and total receipts of walk-ups of $34,000; the end came fast and furious - no funds left to pay even the artists on Tuesday night. Best Regards, ron rose
|