The New Taipei City District Court on Friday ruled that LOOP Production is not entitled to compensation over a party the promoters had planned to hold at the New Taipei Exhibition Hall, which was was canceled in the wake of the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙樂園) water park inferno.
The firm had sought NT$12.44 million (US$382,746) from Jhan-Sheng Corp, the company in charge of managing venues at the New Taipei Exhibition Hall, after the Taipei City Government revoked a permit for a “white party” the firm had planned to hold on Aug. 15 last year.
According to the ruling, Jhan-Sheng was not culpable, as it was in compliance with the city’s injunctions regarding fire safety regulations and other requirements for holding the event.
Following the June 27 disaster at Formosa Fun Coast in New Taipei City’s Bali District (八里) last year, which injured 508 people and killed 15, the city ramped up its oversight of fire safety regulations, emergency evacuation planning, and other public security issues for events expected to attract large crowds.
City officials said representatives from health and fire departments inspected the venue site, and requested that organizers submit plans regarding fire safety, medical facilities, emergency evacuation routes, transportation access and other requirements
City officials said that as they had not received the requested documents by the given deadline, and because inspectors deemed that 5,000 people would surpass the venue’s maximum capacity for such an event, the city decided to revoke the permit for the party.
Jhan-Sheng said that they had received an injunction from the city government’s Economic Development Department which they had to comply with.
In the lawsuit, LOOP said it had signed an agreement with Jhan-Sheng in February last year to rent the venue for NT$1.05 million, and that the firm was in violation of that agreement.
The party, an annual techno event headlined by international DJs and celebrities into its ninth year, was canceled just one week before it was due to be held.
Tickets were priced at NT$1,200 to NT$2,500, with previous events attracted up to 10,000 revelers, although organizers gave an official estimate of 5,000 people.
At the time, Loop Inc announced the cancelation on Facebook, saying that the permission to hold the event at the site had been withdrawn by Jhan-Sheng.
Friday’s ruling said the cancelation decision came from the city, and Jhan-Sheng had to comply with it.
The ruling can be appealed.
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