Staff Reports
The city of St. Petersburg is suing a local nonprofit over missed payments for security for a co-sponsored event.
St. Petersburg Jazz Explosion is a locally-based group founded in 2015 that provides scholarship funding to local youth art programs for equipment, books, upgrades to facilities and travel, according to the group. They also seek to showcase aspiring musicians.
In 2017, the group hosted a weekend concert at Vinoy Park called the St. Petersburg Jazz Experience with the city as a co-sponsor. The city promoted the event as part of its annual SPF festival series, called that year, SPF 17.
The group reportedly agreed to pay the city $15,000 to cover the cost of police and fire first responders and traffic management. But according to the lawsuit, St. Petersburg Jazz Experience never paid its bill.
The city now seeks payment in full, plus late fees.
The event featured artists including Alison Hinds, Arturo Tappin, Frankie Ruiz Jr., DJ O. Sharp, Down to the Bone, InnerCity Energy Band, Frankie Pineiro, City Groove and others.
Tickets for the event were $45 per day with some discounted options available including a $22.50 special for single-day entry.
The city filed the lawsuit Jan. 29 in Pinellas County Court.
3 comments
gary
February 14, 2020 at 11:30 am
Nonprofits are the new tool for demoRATS to graft the public!
Dillon
February 15, 2020 at 4:56 pm
the same way SuperPACs are the “Conservative” method of inserting dark money into the pockets of politicians to do their bidding instead of the peoples.
Tara
February 14, 2020 at 12:29 pm
Why they have to pay extra for government services shows why we need a more libertarian approach to public services, including ending service monopolies of the government.
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