This year’s Roots Revival Music Festival has been canceled (updated)
Update: More details on this story unfolding, see below.
I’m really sorry to see this news break today: the Bend Roots Revival, basically Central Oregon’s largest (and free) music festival which would have taken place in only a month, has been canceled. Apparently there has been a dispute with Nosler, which the Source first reported today on their Facebook page, and then a few hours ago the official statement from the Bend Roots committee was posted as well. Here’s what they posted:
Friends we are saddened to announce that this years Bend Roots Revival has been postponed until further notice.
Due to some land-use disputes between Nosler Corporation (a bullet manufacturer neighboring GoodLife Brewery and the Century Center Complex), Century Center is unable to host the 2012 Bend Roots Revival.
Given such short notice, the magnitude of what has been scheduled for this year’s event (over 100 acts and workshops), our symbiotic relationship with the Century Center and GoodLife Brewing (two of our most life-giving sponsors), Bend Roots and it’s 501c(3) partner, Rise Up International, have concluded that it will be impossible to have Bend Roots this year at an alternative location. Our apologies to all the bands, sponsors, & crew for this bummer of an announcement.
Please give us time to answer any questions that you have. For all questions related to the Century Center we ask that you direct those to the Century fb or website.
For seven years Roots has been a vital community event – a huge celebration of our local music scene. ROOTS WILL BE BACK IN 2013!!!!
Since the Century Center can be accessed via the driveway in the back (east of the Center), which is shared/next to Nosler, it appears to be an easement/use issue (also mentioned in this comment on the Source post). It will be interesting to see if that driveway (which I’ve used numerous times to get to GoodLife Brewing) is closed off as a result.
Update 8/28: It has nothing to do with Nosler directly, which is how the original post (and subsequent Facebook comments) initially sounded; Bend Roots posted on Facebook today just the opposite:
Friends… We just got off the phone with Nosler and they are 100% supportive of Bend Roots and want to see the festival happen this year. The next step for us is to ask Century to reconsider having Roots. There has been an amazing response by everyone and the bottom line is the community wants the festival to go on!
And Nosler on their Facebook page issued a similar statement. So it’s unclear exactly what went on, but I’ll keep an eye on the story and update as needed.
Update 8/29: There’s a really good article in the Bulletin which gets right down to the heart of it all, and sorts out what’s really going on. If you’re vested/interested in the story thus far, go read it!
VERY sad to hear. GREAT celebration and fundraiser we were going to help vend and donate to, with each fare from the event.
It had something to do with an easement – an access road between the two properties. I wonder if the city is somehow having a problem with the traffic (or complaints from local property home owners?).
Here’s something that might be more solid than Facebook comments, from today’s issue of The Bulletin. Comments from Century Center, Bend Roots and Nosler:
http://j.mp/STi5MB
Free link, no paywall. Thanks.
Awesome Ben, thanks! I’ll update this post to point to that article.
The owners of Century Center have owned the easement between the two Nosler parking lots since the mid-50’s, before Nosler existed. At some point, perhaps after Nosler built their second building with a second parking lot next to the easement, Nosler decided it was in their interest to eliminate the Century Center easement and the through traffic. They have used various tactics over the years to try to do this, the land-use appeals being the latest. Meanwhile, as any community event does, the Roots Festival has an impact–most would say positive–on the surrounding areas. Had Roots been held as usual, however, the activity could possibly be trumped up as ammo (no pun intended) for any opponents of the land-use application. Since a land-use hearing was scheduled for the week immediately following Roots, Dave Hill of Century Center regretfully decided it would be best to cancel Roots. The short notice was unavoidable given the circumstances. Ultimately, the decision to cancel Roots was to smooth the approval process for the CC land-use applications and hopefully ensure that future Roots Festivals and other such events will continue to be permitted at Century Center.
P.S. To sign an online petition urging the City of Bend to approve the Century Center land-use application, go to change.org:
https://www.change.org/petitions/roots-festival-at-century-center
City approval will allow Century Center to continue hosting Roots and other events.
Another more detailed explanation:
http://www.tsweekly.com/news/local-news/severed-roots-century-center-owner-puts-breaks-on-popular-festival-after-issues-with-neighbors.html