Ultra Miami Hit with a Cease & Desist from Rapture Music Festival

The story surrounding Ultra Music Festival’s move to Virginia Key continues to develop as Rapture Music Festival has now delivered a cease and desist to the organizers.

After a rollercoaster of a ride last fall that saw Ultra Music Festival get ousted from their previous home at Bayfront Park and find a new one at Virginia Key, the story continues to develop in the first days of 2019. After being approved to move to the new venue by a vote from the Miami City Commission back in November, it seemed like things would be smooth sailing for Ultra Miami in 2019.

Today that changed as after initially conceding the space and stating that they’d be hunting for a new location as well, Rapture Music Festival has now sent Ultra a cease and desist. Sent by their lawyers, the letter asks for the festival to stop applying for new permits, which include traffic and environmental plans, as well as the construction of a temporary dock for the water taxis that will be necessary to help bring attendees to the event.

“We are investigating this matter further and if [you] do not immediately withdraw your application that directly interferes with our client’s planned festival time and location, we will be taking immediate action against you, the City and Virginia Key Beach Park Trust,” reads the letter from Rapture’s attorney, Paul K. Silverberg. “Any continued behavior and furtherance of the complained act will be considered willful and subject you to punitive damages.”

This continued with a statement contending that the City of Miami and Rapture Music Festival had an understanding and ongoing relationship for future events at the venue.

“There are a number of government employees, who have already stated that Rapture was scheduled for that timing and that you knew — just like others in the city, Virginia Key Beach Park Trust and parks department,” Silverberg wrote.

We’ve reached out for additional comments but as of this posting, both Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez and Ultra spokesman Ray Martinez declined to comment on the letter. Stay tuned as this story continues to develop.

h/t Miami Herald