Festival has a history of financial problems

Sponsors were surprised to hear that Rockfest '99 wasn't promoter Frank Scott's first brush with financial problems - and that as recently as two weeks ago the show was almost called off.

Last year's Rockfest, staged in High River, was pushed into receivership by Alberta Treasury Branches for $300,000 in unpaid loans.

"We had absolutely no idea that that was the case," said Steve Jones, programming director for K-97 FM.

And the owner of that show's site told The Sun he wouldn't allow Scott to set up there this year because of unpaid bills. Lyle Taylor said Scott's Classic Rock Festival Inc. "failed on several occasions to meet their financial obligations."

Even this year's show showed early signs of problems. Despite Scott's Rockfest '99 Inc. confirming in April that Loverboy and Kansas were two of the big acts, an agent for the bands said they had yet to receive payment deposits.

And just weeks ago, the County of Leduc's development office extended the deadline for a site plan from June 15 to July 19 after Scott's company failed to file the paperwork.

At the same time, reportedly concerned over the show's financing, Loverboy asked for the remaining half of its $20,000 fee up front. Scott turned them down.

The promoter then denied the show was in trouble, calling it "the biggest party to hit western Canada in 100 years."