Rockfest Cleanup Costs

The tab keeps running up on the mess that’s left from Rockfest in Kansas City, Mo.

The annual festival promoted by AEG at the city’s Liberty Memorial Park, faced heavy storms this year that turned the concert into a mudfest.

The promoter is contracted to repair any turf damage and efforts are under way. In the meantime, AEG is reportedly on the hook for $700 for each day after May 18 that concert equipment remains on the property. The Kansas City Star reported the tab had already reached $4,900.

For some city officials, the damage to the grounds after 55,000 concertgoers trudged through the mud and vehicles parked on the grass in restricted areas has become a cause for concern.

Parks and Recreation director Mark McHenry said during a recent board meeting that it could be midsummer before the park is back to normal, the Star reported.

He acknowledged that “damage to the park is not insignificant” and the parking in restricted areas was “a mistake … that was bad judgment.”

The state of the Liberty Memorial grounds led another scheduled festival – Show Me Pride – to be moved to the city’s Berkley Riverfront Park.

Organizers for that event praised the parks department and AEG for assisting in finding a new location for Show Me Pride.

“Actually, I think our event could get bigger here,” festival president Rick Bumgarder said, according to the Star.

McHenry told the paper the parks department planned to discuss reimbursement from AEG for the $10,000 lost from moving Show Me Pride.