Superior Court Judge Jesse Stone has denied a counterclaim filed by C4 Live, LLC, of Las Vegas, asking for a summary judgment in the ongoing lawsuit between the Development Authority of Augusta.
The Development Authority filed suit against the entertainment company after a series of concerts planned for Masters Tournament week in 2022 were promoted, but the events never took place.
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It was advertised that music legend Jimmy Buffett would headline the event to take place at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
Then-Tax Commissioner, Steven Kendrick was brought in to help promote the events.
Amid slow ticket sales, the concerts were quietly canceled and those who bought tickets had to wait months for a refund.
C4 Live had signed a 10-year lease with the city and agreed to take over the dormant stadium’s refurbishment on an “as is” basis.
After the concerts failed, representatives of C4 Live claimed the city did not warn the company about unstable ground beneath the stadium bleachers, making the venue unsafe.
The company claimed to have spent $700,000 on improvements before the soil problem was discovered.
In the counterclaim, Commissioner Sean Frantom was added as a defendant, stating that during extensive behind-the-scenes discussions about the project, he and other city officials should have warned them about unstable soil conditions at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
According to court documents, Stone found no merit to the counterclaim and tossed it out “with prejudice,” meaning that now, the city’s efforts to close out the matter can move forward.
Cal Wray, director of the Development Authority, says that the authority was approached by the company with grand dreams of mega-shows, but that the authority is in the business of promoting Augusta to industry, not entertainment.
“We just aren’t set up for that, so we just went with what was told to us, and it was a mistake,” Wray said.
Sources who wish not to be named, state that the company courted business leaders and government officials by renting out Edgar’s on Broad, offering free food and drinks.
“They had Vegas showgirls greeting everyone at the elevators, it looked like they spent a lot of money to make everything exciting, like they were bringing a bit of the Vegas Strip to Augusta,” the sources claim.
Technically, the maintenance on the building was supposed to be overseen by the Augusta Parks and Recreation Department; while the department’s bank records show expenditures in the thousands of dollars, from the looks of the building, it was actually abandoned.
Vandals have smashed in all of the windows to the stadium, leaving the building open to the elements.
“Now that this part is over, we can move forward with breach of contract and an eviction,” Wray said.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
