INTO THE DRAINS. MAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL IS CANCELING THIS SUMMER’S SHOW AT THE OMAHA RIVERFRONT. NONPROFIT ORGANIZERS SAY THEY’RE NOW WORKING TO REWORKING THE OPERATION, AND THEY’RE PLANNING TO TRY TO BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S ALEX MCLOON REPORTS HOW COST OF LIVING COULD BE PLAYING A PART. ALEX. ROB QUANECIA ATTENDEES WERE READY TO ROCK OUT HERE DOWN AT THE RIVERFRONT THIS JULY. BUT DIRECTOR, SIGHT UNSEEN PRECEDENTED COSTS LIKE LABOR. LOCAL UNIONS SAY THE COST OF LIVING IS HURTING THEM TOO. MAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL HITTING PAUSE THIS SUMMER. THE PRICE OF OVERALL FESTIVAL PRODUCTION INCREASING BY UP TO 50%, ACCORDING TO THE NONPROFIT. FROM MUSICIANS TO PRODUCTION CREWS, THIS IS A SECOND CAREER FOR ME. THE LOCAL INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES SAYING THE COST OF LIVING LEAVES THEM NO OPTION BUT TO CHARGE MORE TO PUT ON SHOWS AROUND THE METRO. WE’RE JUST A SMALL PART DOING THE LABOR ON ON THE THE SHOWS. NOW THAT’S A PRETTY BIG BUDGET AND IT’S A PRETTY BIG CHUNK OF IT, BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR US, WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN MORE THAN A 3 OR 4% RAISE, YOU KNOW, IN YEARS. IT ATTRACTS GREAT ACTS AND GREAT ACTS ATTRACT OUT OF TOWNERS, VISIT OMAHA. ALSO WORKING IN CONCERT WITH THE SHOW, SAYING 2022 BROUGHT 2400 ATTENDEES FROM AT LEAST 60 MILES AWAY, OPENING THE DOOR TO THE REST OF THE CITY. YOU’VE ALSO GOT GREAT ATTRACTIONS. YOU’VE GOT THE ZOO, THE DURHAM. THOSE ARE WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE AT THE JOSLYN ART CENTER. YOU’VE GOT THE ENTIRE RIVERFRONT NOW, MY FRIENDS WERE SAYING, WE GO TO THIS MUSIC FESTIVAL. IT WAS REALLY FUN TO WALK AROUND OLD MARKET AND CHECK OUT SOME OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS FROM THE LAST TIME THAT I WAS HERE, IN PARTICULAR, THE BOILER ROOM, SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO A NEW VENUE IN 2025. ANOTHER GENERATION OF MUSICIANS WILL HIT THE STAGE DOWNTOWN AT THE RENOVATED HEARTLAND OF AMERICA PARK AT THE RIVERFRONT. DO YOU GET MORE THAN A FRONT ROW SEAT? YOU GET BEHIND THE SCENES SEAT. OFFICIALS SAYING THE SHOW WILL GO ON. WE’RE PRETTY LUCKY AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE WORK LIKE THAT. THAT COMES AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR OR COMES AROUND ON A SCHEDULE. THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FACING ANOTHER SETBACK AFTER THE PANDEMIC, ORGANIZER SAY MORE OUTDOOR SHOWS ARE SHUTTERING ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN STATES LIKE MISSOURI AND MICHIGAN, ORGANIZERS SAY THE RECENT RECORD ATTENDANCE AFTER THE PANDEMIC IS NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME COSTS AND WORKFORCE CHALLENGES. LIVE AT THE RIVERFRONT IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA ALEX MCLOON KETV