Volume Grows Louder On Riot Fest Dispute
(CBS) – A hospital's attempts to shut down this weekend's Riot Fest music event continued Monday as organizers pushed back.
As the fight goes to court, CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports on how thing got to this point, months after the fest was announced.
Signs are up, barricades are out and preparations are in high gear for Riot Fest, a three-day punk and hiphop festival that is scheduled to start Friday in Douglas Park.
But just across the street, there are efforts to put the brakes on. Representatives for Saint Anthony Hospital say Riot Fest isn't keeping its promises.
Riot Fest says that is not true. On Monday, they rolled out a new map showing concessions made and stages turned to face away from the hospital. The entrance was moved across the park.
Hospital spokesperson Kathryn Grosso says she's not convinced sound barriers that were promised will be in place.
She adds: "Forty-five thousand people a day will come down this street blocking the ambulance bays and the entrance to the hospital."
In a written statement, Riot Fest says the hospital's concerns have been taken into account.
"The sound is directional pointing away from the hospital and is within limits set by the city," it said.
Riot Fest attorneys offered up emails showing Saint Anthony's was willing to drop its complaint if the event agreed to pay $154,000 for added security and staff at the hospital.
Hospital officials hope to get a court hearing Tuesday, in their bid to get a restraining order against the music festival.
