Features
Bunbury Founder Sues Cincy
The founder and former owner of multiple Cincinnati music festivals is suing the city for inconsistently taxing his festivals.
Amy Harris/Invision/AP – Bunbury
D.R.A.M. lights up Bunbury Music Festival June 3 in Cincinnati. The festival’s former owner is currently suing the city for inconsistently taxing his events for reserved seating.
The suit filed by Bill Donabedian, former owner of Bunbury, Buckle Up and Midpoint festivals, said Bunbury and Buckle Up paid 3 percent taxes to Cincinnati, but MidPoint was exempt because it did not sell reserved-seating tickets.
The crux of the problem, the Cincinnati Business Courier reported Donabedian saying, is that neither of the other two festivals had reserved seating either.
The suit also claims that Bunbury was asked to pay admissions taxes on its 2013 festival twice, and paid more than its fair share in 2014, the paper reported.
Several of the suit’s charges have already been dismissed, but Donabedian’s claim of the city violating the festival’s protection from unlawful taxation under the 14th amendment has not yet been resolved the Business Courier reported.
Donabedian reportedly seeks $150,000 in damages. He couldn’t be reached for comment at publication time.
PromoWest Productions bought Bunbury in 2014. Scott Stienecker, President and Buyer for Promowest, told Pollstar the company has paid all its amusement taxes and is not a part of the suit.
This year’s edition of Bunbury was held at