MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP), who operates Tom Lee Park on behalf of the City of Memphis, is taking the Memphis in May International Festival to court over damages sustained by the park during the 2023 festival.
According to a statement from MRPP's legal team, the group is suing Memphis in May for $675,000, the remainder of the $1.425 million MRPP said it will cost to repair Tom Lee Park after the 2023 Beale Street Music Festival and World BBQ Cooking Contest, which is still owed after a damage deposit.
It all centers around a now-late Sept. 4 deadline MRPP set for Memphis in May to pay the damages to Tom Lee Park, in which MRPP said the festival organizer never responded.
After extending the deadline for the payment of these damages by MIM and even that extended deadline not being met, our client had no choice but to file the instant action," said Attorneys Tannera Gibson and Jon Lakey in a statement on behalf of MRPP. "Moving forward, this matter will be handled through the court system."
The statement also said a neutral, third-party arbiter confirmed the damages to the park were caused by the Memphis in May festival, and those damages are owed by Memphis in May under contract.
The festival's organizers received the hefty invoice from Memphis River Parks on August 2. Memphis in May President James Holt sent an email to barbecue festival participants in August listing the damage report details, pricing out asphalt repairs, landscape repairs and other general conditions.
Memphis in May responded to the lawsuit, saying the delay in payment is an issue with their insurance provider:
"The invoice was received late on August 2nd, 37 days past the date stipulated in the lease agreement. We have submitted a claim with our insurance carrier as per guidance given by City of Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland during lease negotiations at City Hall in March.That should the damages exceed the city's $500,000 allocation and Memphis in May’s $250,000 our insurance carrier will cover any overages. Memphis in May has and always will meet our financial responsibilities whatever they are determined realistically to be."
Memphis in May said they will respond to the bill for damages and restoration charges once they hear back from their insurance carrier.