Saturday, September 04, 2010

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Annual Concert in Danger?
Source: The Seattle Times
Author: John Zebrowski

Less than two weeks after a Seattle man was shot and killed after the KUBE Summer Jam at the Gorge Amphitheater, Grant County officials have asked the concert not to return.
The county's three commissioners, sheriff and prosecuting attorney sent a letter to the amphitheater's owner requesting a ban on all concerts where violence is common. While the letter spoke in generalities, those who signed it made clear their target is Summer Jam.

"The way things are going with the KUBE Jam, it's just not working at all," Grant County Prosecutor John Knodell said yesterday. "We're dealing with a wide spectrum of unlawful behavior."

The catalyst for the letter was the fatal shooting of Leonard Smaldino, 47, early in the morning July 20. Smaldino, who ran several souvenir shops outside Safeco Field, died after being shot in the chest in the Gorge campground. Two other people were injured. The Sheriff's Office, which said the shooting was random, has made no arrests.

While many Gorge shows throughout the summer cause huge traffic jams, and injured fans tax the county's medical system, Summer Jam bears the brunt of the community's complaints.

County officials say the shooting is part of a broad pattern of criminal activity at the event, which has been at the Gorge, above the Columbia River near Vantage in Eastern Washington, since 1996. The show draws about 20,000 to listen to rappers such as Busta Rhymes and L.L. Cool J and the R&B star Usher.

Last year, sheriff's deputies made 53 arrests, mostly for drugs and alcohol, while 31 people were sent to the hospital. After the problems with that show, officials asked KUBE not to bring its star, rap artist Snoop Dogg, back to the Gorge.

House of Blues, which owns the venue, attempted to reduce drinking in the campground this year, and there were only seven arrests at this year's show. Sheriff Michael Shay saw signs that things might be improving.

But the arrests were for crimes more violent than in years past. Two people were arrested in connection with a rape, and five for investigation of robbery. But "the murder was the catalyst for this," Knodell said of the drive to ban the show.

"We've dropped the gauntlet and now we're waiting to see what happens," said Mark Mann, the sheriff's chief deputy, adding that only major changes could make them reconsider.

House of Blues did not respond to requests for comment. Gus Swanson, KUBE's marketing manager, said no one at the station had seen the letter.

He said there were no problems in the venue itself, which the station worked hard to make safe. He noted that the shooting occurred after the concert in a campground over which KUBE had no control.

"It was one of our best performances ever until we heard news of the tragedy," Swanson said.

He disputed sheriff's statements that the shooter likely attended Summer Jam.

Swanson said the person could have arrived early for the next day's Warped Tour punk-rock show.

While that is a possible scenario, Mann said county officials are confident the shooting was related to Summer Jam, even if it didn't happen inside the venue. "This is based on past behavior," he said.