Nomadic Sues Over Super Bowl Shows; Gwen Stefani, Florida Georgia Line, Chainsmokers Shows Moved To Casino

Nomadic Entertainment, which was to host pre-Super Bowl parties with major artists at a temporary venue outside Mystic Lake Casino near Minneapolis, has sued Dakota February Events which it says moved the events despite the “Club Nomadic” venue being on track for completion. 

– Club Nomadic Houston
during last year

“Construction of the venue was on track to be ready well before the events were to take place, yet Dakota terminated the contract and moved the events inside the Mystic Lake Casino, with no prior warning to Nomadic,” according to a statement from Nomadic Entertainment’s Jack Murphy.

In the complaint, Nomadic says it spent about $2.4 million in an agreement with Dakota to construct the temporary nightclub.

“Dakota’s termination of its contract with Nomadic is a breach of the agreement,” the statement continues, with the suit filed Jan. 23 in Minneapolis federal court.

On Jan. 12 it was announced by Dakota, the entertainment wing of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community via press release that as the Super Bowl approached, the company determined it would be impossible to ensure that an event at Club Nomadic would meet the tribe’s “standards of quality.”

Shows featuring Gwen Stefani, Florida Georgia Line, and The Chainsmokers were moved to the Mystic Lake Casino, while a previously scheduled Ellie Goulding show was canceled. 

Ticket sales were likely a factor, with local media reporting the $100 seats, with VIP options well into the thousands, had been discounted as the event neared. However, the shows were movedbefore the hometown Minnesota Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention and there’s no way to know if the team making it to the Super Bowl would have changed things.

“We believe the event would have been a success in the venue being constructed, and we are confident that Dakota will be held responsible in Court for breach of contract including negligent and fraudulent misrepresentations,” Josh Schiller, counsel to Nomadic at Boes Schiller Flexner, said in a statement.

The complaint says both parties were working toward a Jan. 15 completion date, but on Jan. 10 Dakota asserted that Nomadic’s inability to get a Certificate of Occupancy by Jan. 1, “which would have to be issued by an employee of Dakota,” had breached the agreement. Nomadic says the shows were moved to Dakota’s Mystic Lake Casino without prior notice.

– Club Nomadic Rendering

Nomadic alleges that Dakota held up completion by failing to respond to drawings and other submissions that required approval – and that a building inspector took a vacation “during a critical period of the porject.”

The company also says that it was agreed that portable toilets would not be installed until at least Jan. 8, meaning both parties understood a Certificate of Occupancy could not be granted by Jan. 1.

The suit seeks a jury trial, and that Dakota pay to Nomadic all gains, profits and advantages derived from the alleged conduct, as well as pre-judgment interest on Nomadic’s damages and attorney’s fees, among other demands.

Club Nomadic was being constructed in a parking lot at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, set to be a 64,000-square-foot building, with three mezzanine levels and a 9,000 capacity.  The venue’s Jack Murphy previously told Pollstar he envisioned seeing Club Nomadic at major events like the Kentucky Derby.

Last year outside the Super Bowl in Houston, the Club Nomadic venue hosted shows by Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and The Chainsmokers.

Nomadic Entertainment is involved in other shows being planned for Super Bowl Week, including at the recently renovated Armory in Minneapolis.

“Nomadic Live”-branded shows including Pink, Jennifer Lopez and Imagine Dragons Feb. 1-3 at the Armory are unaffected, with a venue representative telling Pollstar, “Our events are near all sold out and are all taking place as planned.”

Pollstar reached out to Dakota and Mystic Lake Casino for comment.