Canadian Music Week Founder Neill Dixon Sues Oak View Group Over Unpaid Sale Fees
Canadian Music Week founder Neill Dixon is suing Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group Canada for $485,428 over alleged breach of contract and unpaid fees following the festival's sale and rebranding to Departure.
Dixon claims the new owners failed to pay $378,928 of the agreed $2 million purchase price after the June 2024 sale agreement. He's also seeking $56,000 for unpaid consulting services and $50,000 in punitive damages.
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"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 told Billboard Canada. He expressed disappointment at having to pursue legal action.
The festival, established in 1982, was rebranded as Departure in November 2024 under new ownership. The leadership team includes Loft Co-Founder Randy Lennox, CEO Jackie Dean, Executive Producer Kevin Barton, and OVG Canada President Tom Pistore. Their vision aims to expand the festival beyond music to include comedy, tech, and food, similar to SXSW.
Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group acknowledged receiving Dixon's formal statement of claim, stating they have been in negotiations "for an extended period to finalize agreed upon terms" and will "explore alternative options" if an agreement cannot be reached.
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