Ultra Responds To Rapture’s Lawsuit: “There Is No Merit”

UPDATE: Ultra Music Festival has since responded to Rapture Electronic Music Festival‘s lawsuit:

*There is no merit to yesterday’s lawsuit. To claim that Ultra has violated the law is both disappointing and misplaced. Ultra lawfully secured its license to host its annual production on Virginia Key, including by obtaining necessary approvals from the City of Miami Commission.*

*We are excited to present our fans with what will be the greatest and most transformative music festival that we have ever produced by way of music, artists, experience, cutting edge and technologically advanced production elements and novel art installations.*

*We look forward to hosting our 21st edition of the Ultra Music Festival at our new home at Miami Marine Stadium and Historic Virginia Key Beach Park on March 29, 30, and 31, 2019.*

It seems Ultra Music Festival is pretty much a “go” this year, with a new location set for Virginia Key. However, there’s just one major problem. Another music festival is set to take place at the same waterfront venue over the same weekend.

Rapture Electronic Music Festival was held in the same location in 2017 and 2018 — and now the festival is suing Ultra Music Festival for trying to move in. Rapture and Ultra are both selling tickets for their respective events, but there’s obviously only room for one.

According to the lawsuit, Rapture is suing over the right to stage a weekend’s with of live music on Virginia Key. The suit asks the court to halt Ultra’s plans for a music festival so Rapture can carry out its own event. Apparently there were talks with the city and Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to host Rapture in 2019 and 2020.

“This was an opportunity for Ultra and [Event Entertainment Group] to shut down its competing Miami based festival held by Rapture,” the lawsuit reads.

It also asserts that Ultra, the City of Miami and the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust together are violating anti-trust laws by establishing the music festival. Rapture believes Ultra has a monopoly on the spring festival market in Miami.

Rapture first sent Ultra and the city a cease-and-desist letter in early January. That request has gone ignored as Ultra applies for permits and maps out the logistics of the 2019 event.

Ultra Miami plans to take place March 29th – 31st at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park & Miami Marine Stadium. Rapture Electronic Music Festival is looking at Friday and Saturday of the same weekend, the 29th and 30th.

The battle is on.