Electric Daisy Going Vegas

An electronic music festival that ignited a rash of controversy following the death of a teen concertgoer last year is leaving Los Angeles amid contractual issues.

The Electric Daisy Carnival, which was staged at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for several years, is exiting the venue for Las Vegas this summer.

“Without an executed contract in place at this time, it has become impossible to guarantee to all of the fans and talent that EDC can be produced at the venue this year,” Insomniac Events CEO Pasquale Rotella wrote in a statement. “We are grateful for all of the events we’ve been able to produce at the Coliseum and Sports Arena over the years, and for the support of the fans, Los Angeles, the Coliseum Commission and everyone who has contributed to those events.

“By moving this event to Las Vegas, we are welcomed with open arms by a venue that specializes in a wide range of entertainment. The new venue is exciting because we believe it is one of the largest and most versatile festival sites in the U.S.”

Insomniac may have faced difficulties securing a deal in L.A. after losing support of the Coliseum Commission. Former Coliseum GM Patrick Lynch recently resigned from his post after the Los Angeles Times broke a story that he’d allowed an employee to consult for Insomniac Events while simultaneously planning venue security for the Electric Daisy Carnival last year. More than 100 concertgoers were hospitalized and 34 were arrested on felony drug charges during the event.

Needless to say, many members of the commission were angered upon hearing the news of the two-timing employee and some have hinted that Electric Daisy was done for, as far as the Coliseum is concerned.

“They probably made a good business decision for them,” Commission President David Israel told the Times in response to Insomniac’s statement. “The writing on the wall was as clear as graffiti.”

“Good riddance,” added Commissioner Rick Caruso, another critic of raves.

“The only thing that these rave events are good for is making money,” he said. “But I put the safety of our kids above making money.”

Electric Daisy Carnival is scheduled to make its Vegas debut June 24-25. While it’s unclear exactly where the event will take place, two locations that could seemingly accommodate the festival’s large crowds include the 45,000-capacity Sam Boyd Stadium and the 117,000-capacity Las Vegas Speedway. Last year’s EDC reportedly drew about 185,000 over two days.