Business

[Fox Business] Jay-Z’s ‘Made in America’ cancellation weeks before event leaves festival workers at loss

Jay Z’s annual “Made in America” music festival, which takes place in Philadelphia every Labor Day weekend since 2012 (with the exception of 2020), has been canceled this year in a “blow” to festival workers and the city’s economy itself.

Michael Barnes, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the “Made in America” festival is “by far” the most profitable for its members. 

“This is going to have a significant negative impact in regards to the stagehands yearly package,” he told the newspaper. “That piece of their overall yearly income has been factored in, so people count on that. For that to cancel within weeks of the concert is overly impactful to the live event and entertainment workers.”

The festival team blamed “severe circumstances” beyond its control for the cancellation without going into any specifics. 

FORMER HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE WARNS OF ‘ABSOLUTE COLLAPSE’ IF SAG AND WGA DEAL NOT MET BY DECEMBER 

“Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made in America festival will no longer be taking place,” the festival shared in a statement on social media. 

It added, “This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation. Made in America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience.”

Mark Lynch Jr., business manager of IBEW Local 98, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the news was “disappointing,” but said it was a “temporary setback.” He noted that the union was looking forward to working with the festival in the future.

FOX Business has reached out to festival organizer Roc Nation for comment. 

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Lizzo and SZA were scheduled as headliners. Lizzo is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit from three of her former background dancers, but it’s unclear if the cancelation is related. Lizzo has denied all of the accusations. 

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Miguel, Tems, Metro Boomin, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Latto, Lil Yachty, Doechii, Lola, and others were also expected to perform.

Philadelphia’s Mayor Jim Kenney said he was “disappointed” about the cancellation, which would have brought money into the city via hotels, restaurants and bars and other businesses. 

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“I’m disappointed to hear that the 2023 @MIAFestival will not be taking place,” Kenney tweeted. “We’re grateful to the partners and festival goers who have contributed to this event’s incredible success over the years, and we look forward to bringing MIA back to the Parkway next year.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Business

[Fox Business] Mega Millions boasts largest prize in game’s history with $1.58B jackpot

A lucky player could claim the largest Mega Millions jackpot in history as the grand prize now sits at $1.58 billion – an estimated cash value of $783.3 million – for Tuesday night’s drawing.

The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were 13, 19, 20, 32 and 33 with a Mega ball of 14. The Megaplier was 2X.

Winning tickets, if any, are typically announced a few hours after the drawing.

The current prize edges the game’s previous jackpot record of $1.537 billion, which was won in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018. That instance was the first time the jackpot surpassed the billion mark, and it has reached that level four times since then.

MEGA MILLIONS NOW AT $1.05 BILLION AFTER NO WINNER FRIDAY

The last time a massive Mega Millions jackpot was claimed was on April 14, when a winning ticket in New York matched all six numbers to win the grand prize of $483 million or a lump-sum prize of $256.9 million.

The jackpot was won again a few days later on April 18 for $20 million and has continued to rise since then.

The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 302,575,350.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO RIGHT AFTER YOU WIN THE JACKPOT

Mega Millions jackpot wins in 2023:

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Mega Millions tickets are $2 per play and an additional dollar for the Megaplier option. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The deadline for purchasing a ticket is 9:45 p.m. on draw nights.

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