Rain, Lollapalooza Leave Grant Park a Mess
By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 9, 2011 1:30PM
The combination of Sunday's storms and over 90,000 people attending Lollapalooza left Grant Park in a pretty sorry state. Officials with the Park District and Grant Park Conservancy are assessing the extent of the damage but estimate it could take weeks before the park is back in fighting trim.
The city's contract with C3 Presents LLC calls for the promoter to pay for any damage caused by the festival. Last year, C3 ponied up over $200,000 in repairs to the park. Grant Park Conservancy president Bob O'Neill estimates the damage to Hutchinson Field alone could be over $80,000. O'Neill also said the turf damage to the rest of Grant Park is substantial and some of the park's gardens also suffered minor damage.
C3 Presents spokeswoman Shelby Meade told the Sun-Times the company's priority is to repair the damage to the park as soon as possible and they're working with the city to assess the extent of the costs right now. Let's hope it's soon; Jazz Fest is in a few weeks.