Canadian Music Week founder Neill Dixon has filed a lawsuit against Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group Canada, alleging breach of contract and unpaid fees related to the festival's sale.

Dixon is seeking $435,428 in damages plus an additional $50,000 in punitive and aggravated damages. According to the notice filed with the Ontario Court of Justice, the new owners have failed to pay the full agreed-upon sale price of $2 million from June 2024.

The lawsuit claims that $378,928 of the purchase price remains unpaid, along with $56,000 in unpaid consulting services provided by Dixon to the new owners.

"After 42 years of building an internationally respected Canadian music business, I made the difficult decision to sell and retire, trusting the purchasers to honor their commitments," Dixon stated to Billboard Canada.

The festival, established in 1982, was recently rebranded as "Departure" under its new ownership. The new management team includes:

• Loft Co-Founder Randy Lennox
• CEO Jackie Dean
• Executive Producer Kevin Barton
• OVG Canada President Tom Pistore

The new owners plan to expand the festival beyond music to include comedy, tech, and food, similar to SXSW's format.

In response, Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group stated they have been negotiating with Dixon and his counsel to finalize terms, and will "explore alternative options" if an agreement cannot be reached.

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