Electric Daisy Carnival Moving from LA to Las Vegas

Los Angeles - Organizers of the Electric Daisy Carnival today canceled plans to hold the rave event at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum again this year, citing difficulties in finalizing a contract for the venue.

The event will be held instead in Las Vegas on June 24-25, according to Insomniac, the company that produces the electronic-music fair.

Last year's event at the Coliseum was marred by the death of a 15-year-old girl who attended the carnival and died from an overdose of Ecstasy.

"Without an executed contract in place at this time, it has become impossible to guarantee to all of the fans and talent that EDC can be produced at this venue this year," Insomniac CEO Pasquale Rotella said. "We are grateful for all of the events we've been able to produce at the Coliseum and Sports Arena over the years, and for the support of the fans, Los Angeles, the Coliseum Commission and everyone who has contributed to those events."

The death of Sasha Rodriguez following the event last year sparked a backlash against rave-type events, and the Coliseum Commission temporarily imposed a moratorium on hosting the events.

The moratorium was eventually lifted, but commissioners said they wanted rave organizers to submit detailed security and operational plans.

More recently, the general manager of the Coliseum resigned after the disclosure that one of his assistants in managing the venue was simultaneously working as a consultant for Insomniac.

Patrick Lynch, who was been managing the stadium and adjacent Sports Arena since 1994, tendered his resignation Feb. 15 in an e-mail to the nine members of the Coliseum Commission.

"This last year has been very trying and it has taken its toll on me, both physically and mentally," Lynch wrote. "I would like to thank the president and other commissioners for their support over this difficult period. I would also like to thank the commissioners who have worked so hard in the past to achieve what I believe to be many successes. Many projects are in front of you and I wish nothing but the best for all your efforts."

Lynch resigned just hours before the commission was scheduled to meet and consider if any action should be taken against him. Commissioner Rick Caruso had called for his resignation after the Los Angeles Times reported that Todd DeStefano, the assistant general manager for events at the Coliseum, had been working for Insomniac.

DeStefano began working with Insomniac about two months before the June 2010 event, and Lynch approved the arrangement, The Times reported. DeStefano resigned from his Coliseum job in January.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the California Fair Political Practices Commission are both investigating the matter.

In a statement released by the company today, Insomniac officials said recent events made it an "insurmountable challenge" to stage the event at the Coliseum this year.

"I grew up in Los Angeles," Rotella said. "I began my business here when I was in high school and Los Angeles remains my home. I would love nothing more than to have our events return to the Coliseum in the future."

Last year's Electric Daisy Carnival was attended by about 185,000 people over two days.

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