Rent dispute between landlord and bar owner causes party promoter to pull festival from venue

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A party promoter is caught in the middle of a heated dispute between a lounge owner and a landlord over unpaid rent.

After watching an Only on 13 report, the promoter decided that the venue was not a good fit for the 'Good Vibes Only' festival expected on Saturday.

The head curator for the 'Good Vibes Only' festival, Wale Adekoya, said they were expecting about 1,200 people at Amahle Bar and Lounge to enjoy good music, food trucks, and more.

Now with the festival postponed, he had to email every person who purchased tickets to inform them.

"Everybody is obviously upset," Adekoya said.

He said he initially called it off because of the weather, but his team thought about having the party anyway.

RELATED: Midtown lounge owner's workers cut locks of business put there by landlord who claims she owes $73K

"I'm really not just shutting it down because of the weather, but in recent news that came out about issues going on that was brought to light with your story," he said.

On Friday, ABC13 aired a story about the owner of the lounge, LaDonna Wiggins, in a dispute over rent with her landlord, Ayman Jarah.

To recall, Wiggins was indicted in 2021 for bank fraud after she used CARES Act funds totaling over 3.6 million dollars to purchase luxury items, two homes, and multiple vehicles.

The lounge employees arrived and found the doors with padlocks on them put by the landlord, who says Wiggins owes him $73,000 in rent.

On Saturday, a representative for Wiggins sent screenshots of what appears to be bank transfers totaling $63,500.

Wiggins' attorney presented a letter saying that his client "has made all necessary payments."

Adekoya, the curator, did not want to be involved in the back and forth.

"It's like kids coming to the house when parents are fighting," Adekoya explained. "So, I'm basically trying to keep us and everybody else outside of their business."

The promoter decided that the venue would not be ideal after hearing the landlord tell Eyewitness News that he would weld the doors shut ahead of Saturday's festivities.

"The risk and the reward didn't add up," he said.

The festival is rescheduled for September 17 at a different location.

Wiggins and her representative did not respond to ABC13 request for a follow-up interview.