Board tables Loggers & Lawrence renewal; resident raises detailed concerns about contract clarity

The City of Lawrence Board of Public Works and Safety on March 27 voted to table consideration of the Loggers & Lawrence renewal agreement for 2025–26 so the administration can meet the venue operator’s new owner.

Amber Finley, corporation counsel for the City of Lawrence, told the board that Indiana on Tap — the operator named in the contract — “was just recently sold to a new owner,” and the administration asked for time to meet the new owner before entering the agreement. The board moved to delay approval and approved the tabling by voice vote.

During the citizen comment period, Daniel Raff, who gave his address as 5718 Wollingwood Drive, said he had read the draft renewal and identified multiple areas he said lacked clarity. Raff asked who bears losses and how "net proceeds" are calculated, whether overhead and shared costs would be reallocated across events, and whether third-party ticket sales (scalping) are addressed. Raff also queried whether city-incurred costs such as security would be offset by the 10% of net proceeds described in the agreement, and who would determine recipients if proceeds are directed to a donation fund.

Raff said the compensation clause “lacked a lot of clarity,” and added, “I did not see anywhere in this agreement talking about overhead costs.” He also asked rhetorically, “Are we gonna give this money donate this money possibly to a Trump Foundation? According to this, we can donate the money money could be donated to Trump.”

The board did not take further action on the contract at the meeting and directed that the item remain on a future agenda after administrative staff meet with the new owner. No specific deadline for that meeting was announced in the record.

The transcript does not reflect any changes to contract language or any vote on the substance of the agreement; the motion recorded in the meeting was to delay consideration until city staff meet with the new owner.