Lawrence, Massachusetts to Sue Festival Organizers Over School Field Mess

Floripa Productions left Veterans Memorial Stadium littered with garbage and alcohol containers

The city of Lawrence, Massachusetts, will be filing a lawsuit against the organizers of a Brazilian festival, because the mayor says the festival organizers ruined a field the organizers recently used.

When students and teachers arrived to Lawrence High School on Monday morning, they found Veterans Memorial Stadium, next door, covered with garbage, alcohol containers and other debris.

The stadium is now locked and replacing the turf could cost more than half a millions dollars.

The Lawrence High School Lancers say they're losing out on playing more than just games.

"It wasn't only the football team they impacted, it was more the school itself," said freshman football player, Jonathan Villela. "Because that represents us."

Mayor Dan Rivera said there was a contract with the festival organizers, Floripa productions, and they will be held responsible.

Were going to go after the users and vendors of this place, to make sure they pay for what they did, to be held responsible, River said.

School officials said not only was damage done to the turfs surface, but rubber fill used to absorb shock is now contaminated due to all the trash and alcohol that was spilled.

Scott Koesterich with New England Turf Store said there's no way to salvage that much damage.

The beer and the glass cant be separated out from the crumb rubber, said Koesterich. Its going to run them approximately $350,000- $500,000.

Floripa productions paid $20,000 to host the event and the city contract apparently bans glass and cigarettes.

Floripa has promised to clean up the mess and they did take out an insurance policy for more than half a million dollars.

The city of Lawrence plans to sue, hoping to recoup the cost for a new field.

How are we going to play field hockey without a field, asked Laura Gutierez, a senior field hockey player.

necn contacted Floripa Productions but they did responded to our requests on the pending lawsuit.

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