By Scott Tady, Times Entertainment Editor

WAMPUM — Forget about JamBaloosa, at least in Wampum.

Mines & Meadows officials have canceled the June 27 to 29 concert festival at their ATV park off Old Route 18.

Dave Tullis, vice president of business development for Mines & Meadows, said JamBaloosa concert promoter Erick Gross failed to meet a Tuesday deadline to provide an insurance policy and a $12,500 down payment.

“It became obvious this guy was in over his head,” Tullis said.

Gross said he is disappointed, but will seek another western Pennsylvania site for his festival. He said he didn’t finalize a deal with Mines & Meadows because park officials, a neighboring property owner, and borough leaders from Wampum and New Beaver kept piling on stipulations that ate into his profits.

“I would have lost a lot of people money if I had (signed) that kind of agreement,” Gross said.

Gross said Mines & Meadows officials made it seem as if their contract would include, at no extra cost, an adjacent limestone mine where the festival would offer a third stage, 50 feet underground, for techno and jam bands. As he started to publicize that stage, Gross said owners of the mine, Underland Development, told him he would need an additional $12,500 insurance policy and would have to pay for $8,000 in safety improvements.

Mines & Meadows already had asked for $10,200 in separate insurance coverage, Gross said.

Without a formal contract ever being signed, there’s a lot of lingering he-said, she-said.

For instance, Gross claimed the New Beaver Volunteer Fire Department insisted on getting the festival’s parking revenue, an estimated $10,000. But Tullis and New Beaver Mayor Mike Swanik Jr. said Wednesday that’s not true.

Gross also said borough officials required that he place gravel in the Mines & Meadows driveway to help with traction for trucks unloading festival gear. Tullis said that request came initially from Gross’ concert production company in western New York.

The JamBaloosa Web site remained online Wednesday, promising a concert starring hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and dozens of jam-style bands, mostly from Ohio and Pennsylvania. Gross hasn’t made plans for refunding what he estimated were 1,000 pre-sold tickets as he scours the area for another site. One place that interests him is the Butler County Fairgrounds.

David Tauberg, bassist and vocalist for Pittsburgh jam band The Cause — one of the JamBaloosa acts — spoke with Gross twice on Wednesday, and said he remains confident the festival will take place somewhere.

“There are always bumps in the road,” said Tauberg, a committee member for the Pittsburgh Blues Festival at Hartwood Acres, who said Gross has enough time to find a new location.

Musicians won’t care whether JamBaloosa is moved to another western Pennsylvania spot, nor will most out-of-town fans who would be likely to camp out rather than stay in a  motel.

Said Tauberg, “I don’t care if it’s in Wampum, Altoona or Washington County.”

Scott Tady can be reached online at stady@timesonline.com.